


Prince of End

by MatleenaMaddie



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bad and Skeppy are lifebound, Bad is also immortal because End Demon, Dream is still a bastard, Dream stop going after the minors challenge, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, End Demon Bad, Found Family, Hurt/Comfort, I promise, Kinda?, Phil and Techno have to share Ranboo with Bad and Skeppy now, Prince Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF), Princes & Princesses, Read it as platonic or romantic I don't care, Skeppy is just a cool human, Skeppy would literally do anything for Bad, The End is a thing in this one, Very protective Bad, as a treat, bad has a lot of trauma from his past but skeppy will help, causing pain wherever he goes, ranboo gets four dads, they are best friends your honor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-15 16:20:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 61,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29561808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MatleenaMaddie/pseuds/MatleenaMaddie
Summary: There is a room behind the rocks. An underground room that seems almost like a bunker. There is a jukebox on the floor and the walls are littered with texts but Skeppy doesn’t take the time to read them. Because there’s a boy laying on the floor.OR: Bad used to be prince Ranboo’s sworn protector but was dragged out of the End and forced to make a life in the Overworld. Years later, Skeppy brings home a whole fucking child and Bad has a panic attackOR: The Story of four (4) Dads, one Boy, and one (Green) Bastard
Relationships: Darryl Noveschosch & Ranboo, Ranboo & Technoblade & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Technoblade & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Zak Ahmed & Darryl Noveschosch, Zak Ahmed & Darryl Noveschosch & Ranboo, Zak Ahmed & Ranboo, Zak Ahmed & Technoblade
Comments: 540
Kudos: 900





	1. A Boy in a Bunker

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> I am so excited to be publishing this! I have been working on this story for a while now, and I've finally finished it and gotten it ready to share! It is 19 chapters total, and just over 60k words (I don't know what happened either). As I said, it is fully finished and will be posted regularly (most likely daily, as long as I don't forget). 
> 
> This whole story takes place post Doomsday, after Ranboo had his first connection with the Voice in the panic room. Skeppy finds him, brings him home, and then discovers that both he and Bad are from the same place, the End.  
> The Egg is Not A Thing, not in this Alternate Universe, not in this household, Thank You Very Much.  
> Also Ranboo gets a Dad Squad to protect him from the Green Bastard. He deserves it. 
> 
> Big thanks to Silver who continues to be the reason these fics do not end up as abandoned WIP and who motivates me while I write. 
> 
> I'm looking forward to seeing what y'all think of the premise! :))
> 
> Enjoy!!

Skeppy doesn’t really like L’Manberg. 

Especially not since the explosions. The city-state was never his style to begin with – too simple. Nothing like his and Bad’s mansion by the sea. The mansion, with its beautiful white floors and walls and the gigantic bay windows? Now that’s stylish. 

L’Manberg had been missing something from the beginning. The houses were nice but too small and too rustic. The lanterns were a good call, but a few lights can’t fix everything. At the end of the day, Skeppy never really saw the appeal for the city-state.

But well, the city on stilts was better than a big hole.

Still, even if he dislikes the sight of the gigantic crater, Skeppy sometimes finds himself walking by it. Bad has asked for a very specific type of berries for his new muffin recipe, and Skeppy can never tell him no.

Bad was so excited about the new recipe Puffy suggested, and he gave Skeppy  _ the look _ , the puppy-eyed pleading expression that left Skeppy feeling so incredibly vulnerable. And Bad – the devil himself – smiled at him with that little call of ‘Geppy?,’ so  _ of course _ , Skeppy is near L’Manberg, looking for the goddamn berries.

What else was he supposed to do? Say no? Make Bad cry?

He remembers seeing some berry bushes on the hill behind L’Manberg. Just far enough away that Skeppy can ignore the destruction, but not enough to justify making a detour and avoiding the site altogether.

Skeppy scowls at the rubbles. He has no real reasons to be angry at what’s left of the city, he knows it, but he doesn’t like what it did to Bad. He doesn’t like that the L’Manbergians forced Bad to fight to protect their dumb town. He doesn’t like thinking of the expression on Bad’s face when he’d come home after the fight.

He doesn’t like it when he sees Bad’s past flash in his eyes.

He had been physically exhausted from the battle, of course, but the worst part had been the grim face and the clear mental weariness. He had taken three long strides and been by Bad’s side, holding him close and whispering soft reassurances. They were safe. Bad was back home. L’Manberg was gone, but the mansion was still standing, strong and safe and  _ home _ . 

And whatever memories Bad had faced when he had fought to defend L’Manberg against Dream and the two anarchists, they were a thing of the past, Skeppy had whispered. Bad was home, with Skeppy, and they were both safe.

It makes him angry at L’Manberg though. That its destruction caused Bad so much pain, even though neither of them had ever cared for the city.

He can’t blame Tommy and Tubbo, though. They’re kids. They never got a choice in the matter, and they had to fight to defend a city that was blown up too many times. Wilbur left them both with a crater to call home, and they had to try to defend it, even at the cost of their friendship and their lives.

He can’t blame Technoblade for destroying the town and forcing Bad to act, because Techno is his friend. And, ultimately, Skeppy knows that the Piglin hadn’t been fully wrong. The town had wronged him, and so he had enacted his revenge. The L’Manbergians should have seen it coming. Skeppy would have. 

And he can’t blame Dream because… Why can’t he blame Dream?

Oh yeah.

Bad likes him.

Or something.

So Skeppy blames L’Manberg, or what’s left of it anyway. It gives him something to direct his anger to. He glares at the stones and kicks a pebble to the bottom of the crater. It whistles as it falls, and falls, and falls. The hole is so deep that Skeppy doesn’t get to hear the pebble reach the end. 

Dumb town. Stupid town that tried to take Bad away from him. Bad had endangered his own life for a bunch of wooden structures that stood on top of a crater.

Skeppy scoffs and keeps walking. He just really doesn’t like L’Manberg.

Bad’s muffins, though? Those he likes. And Bad asked for the berries. So Skeppy is going to get them for him.

He makes a small ‘aha!’ when he reaches the hill and sees the berry bushes. There, they are! His memory is  _ impeccable _ , as always. He puts his basket down and starts dutifully collecting the fruits, thinking of how he could use this opportunity to troll Bad. He doesn’t want to ruin the muffins, but this seems like such a perfect occasion. Surely, he can’t waste it. Maybe he can make Bad say something embarrassing before he gives him the basket. That could work.

He is distracted from his planning by something that rubs at his leg. He looks down and catches two yellow eyes. A black cat stares at him, silent for a second, before it let out a small chirp. Skeppy tilts his head.

“Hey, buddy,” he greets before turning back to the bush. The cat does not leave him alone, though. It headbutts his leg a few times. Skeppy waves his hand toward it, trying to shoo it. The cat doesn’t leave. Instead, it meows a bit more insistently and Skeppy frowns.

“What’s your deal?” he asks, observing the creature. The cat blinks slowly at him before moving away, just a few steps. It turns back, staring back at him as if he were expecting him to follow. Skeppy chuckles uneasily but gets back to his feet. He is never one to say no to an adventure.

Bad would probably say something about not following black cats, about the bad omen they represent. But Bad is not here, and Skeppy is bored.

So he follows the cat.

They go down the hill and end up right next to the sea. The cat meows obstinately and glares until Skeppy follows him in the water.

Weird. A cat who likes water. Maybe this will be fun. Maybe Skeppy will have an entire adventure to describe to Bad at dinner. He loves it when they have those kinds of stories to tell. Sometimes Bad speaks about the hunts with Dream and the rest, and sometimes Skeppy tells him about his latest game in the sky islands. An adventure with a cat sounds like it would make an excellent dinner story.

The cat moves around and slips between two rocks. Skeppy frowns and he tries to understand where it went. When he can’t see anything from his spot above water, he resigns himself and dives in. The water is cold – freezing – and Skeppy curses inwardly.

The berry basket is completely forgotten by this point.

Skeppy swims close to where the cat disappeared, and he detects a small gap between the rocks. An opening.

Bad would tell him that curiosity killed the cat, but Skeppy knows the entire idiom. Satisfaction brought it back.

And does Skeppy love satisfying his curiosity.

He passes through.

There’s a room behind the rocks. An underground room that seems almost like a bunker. There is a jukebox on the floor and the walls are littered with texts but Skeppy doesn’t take the time to read them.

Because there’s a boy laying on the floor.

Skeppy squints and takes a step back (Bad would be proud of him for showing prudence) before curiosity gets the better of him again.

“Hey?” he calls. Silence answers him. Skeppy moves a foot forward and gently nudge the boy’s arm with his shoe. Still nothing. Well, in that case…

Skeppy moves forward and observes the unconscious boy. He looks young – too young to be alone in a bunker room. His face is almost perfectly split between a human-like face and a dark inky half that reminds Skeppy of Bad’s face. It’s weird. He represses the need to touch it to see if it shares the unique texture of Bad’s skin. That would be going a step too far. The boy’s hair is a mix of black and white too, and he wears a crown. A crown.

Surely, he can’t be associated with Eret or the Dream SMP kingdom. Skeppy has never seen him around there, and Bad would have mentioned him. This is curious. A mystery. Skeppy likes mysteries.

“Hey,” he tries again, and the boy doesn’t bulge. “Hey, come on!”

He wants the boy to wake up, so he doesn’t have to acknowledge the other thing he has noticed. The thing that makes him just slightly uncomfortable.

The boy’s… aura – there’s no better word for it – is familiar. He is emanating the same otherworldly  _ feeling _ as Bad. His is as strong as Bad’s had been when they had first met. When Bad was wild and savage and refused to let anyone near him. It’s strange.

The boy looks humanoid enough, but he is not from this world. Skeppy senses it.

And perhaps it is that similarity, more than anything else, that convinces Skeppy to act. The similitude is unsettling, to say the least, but it’s also fascinating.

Skeppy has always been enthralled by Bad’s otherworldliness. He’s always dreamt of understanding everything that’s hidden behind Bad’s shining eyes. He’s always felt deeply entranced by the way Bad  _ is _ . The way he walks, the way he smiles, the way he laughs. The way he fights with the precision and the skills of the best fighters, with a prowess that must have taken hundreds of years to acquire. The way he sometimes stares at the night sky and there’s nothing but  _ longing _ in his eyes. Skeppy would give Bad the world, but whatever Bad is yearning for is too foreign, too impossible for Skeppy to even begin to imagine.

He knows Bad is craving for a past that he left behind, a past he refuses to discuss with Skeppy, a past that haunts his nightmares and leaves him shaking and crying in Skeppy’s arms in the middle of the night.

Bad is  _ impossible _ , in the best way possible. He is a mystery, one that Skeppy cannot solve and one that he loves more than anything else. One that has kept him mesmerized for years. Usually, Skeppy solves puzzles and moves on. But not with Bad.

Bad is the most incredible enigma of Skeppy’s life, and maybe it is the lack of answers that has Skeppy coming back to him over and over again.

Or maybe Skeppy simply loves his best friend. With or without mystery.

And so, even if the situation is  _ unusual _ , Skeppy feels a certain pull to the boy. He is like Bad, and so Skeppy is fascinated. He feels the same pull he had felt all those years ago, when he had first met Bad’s shining eyes, when the demon had been backed into a corner, snarling at him, ignoring Dream’s attempts to calm or subdue him. Skeppy had felt fascinated then, and the boy’s resemblance to Bad makes him fascinating now.

So he doesn’t think his decision through (Bad always complains that he never does, that he acts out of emotions rather than reason), and he grabs the boy.

He’s taking him home.


	2. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Bad?” Skeppy calls, and he is up the stairs and by the door in a second. “Bad, are you okay?”  
> Bad doesn’t reply, so Skeppy steps inside the guest bedroom, his hand on his dagger. He might not be as good a fighter as Bad, and he much prefers agility and sky games to sword fighting, but Techno did teach him some tricks.  
> If the kid has done anything to Bad, he will pay it a hundredth fold.  
> He hasn’t, though. He is still sleeping peacefully. And Bad looks like he has seen a ghost. He is so incredibly pale – which should be impossible when Bad’s entire face is as dark as the void, and yet he is. He’s shaking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!! 
> 
> Thank you so much for all of the comments and support for the first chapter! I hope that you all enjoy this one too! Bad's here now, and not having a great time!
> 
> Enjoy!! :))

He forgot the berries.

Oh, Gods, he’s forgotten the berries.

Bad won’t be able to make the muffins he wanted, and he’ll be so disappointed – always disappointed, never angry – and Skeppy is  _ so angry _ at himself, because Bad just wanted some dumb berries! How hard is it to bring a basket of berries home?

Instead, Skeppy has brought an entire child back to the mansion.

The boy is sleeping peacefully and he looks a little bit less impressive now that he is laying on a bed, under the sheets. Skeppy hasn’t dared to take him off his clothes or clean his face, so he is still dusty and there’s a mix of tears and blood on his face. It looks wrong on the nice clean linen that he and Bad had picked for the guest room.

But the boy looks peaceful – warm, and perhaps that’s what matters.

Skeppy paces around the room, feeling more stressed than he had in a long time. He’s done two things that might annoy Bad – that might get him to let out this little sigh that Skeppy hates so much, that might make him squint very lightly, that might get Skeppy to hear the annoyed “hrm” that’s so far from the amused-but-pretending-to-be-annoyed “hrm.” First, he’s forgotten the berries. The berries Bad wanted for his muffins. And secondly- well, secondly, there is a child in their guest room.

Gods, Bad is going to be  _ disappointed _ in him.

Skeppy resumes his pacing – a bit faster this time. What time is it? Surely it can’t be too long past noon. Bad must be on his way back from his meeting with Dream and the rest of the Dream Team (seriously what kind of egocentric asshole names a whole group after himself?) and he will probably be home soon. Skeppy really really wishes that he hadn’t forgotten the stupid berries, because Bad is always a little  _ off _ after his visits to Dream.

It is nothing like it was years ago, of course, nothing like the furious eyes and the heavy breathing that followed the first few meetings after Bad had finally moved in with Skeppy (after Skeppy had finally convinced Dream to let him). But even today, Bad is still off after seeing Dream, George, or Sapnap. In a way that he isn’t after meeting with Sam and Antfrost. He is tense, and there are memories in his eyes – painful flashes – that he refuses to share with Skeppy.

There’s a reason Skeppy doesn’t really like Dream.

And so Skeppy always tries to be extra kind, after Bad meets with the Dream Team. He always tries to account for Bad’s potentially ruined mood, and his pranks are gentler, more meant to be distracting than annoying.

And when he can, he gives Bad sweets. Because if there is one thing that can comfort Bad, it’s a bowl of sweet fruits. Or several batches of muffins.

Except Skeppy is a terrible friend because he forgot the stupid berry basket.

Maybe he still has time to get the basket? Maybe if he  _ hurries,  _ he’ll be back before-

The front door is opened, then closed very quickly. Skeppy analyses the sounds. It’s not slammed, so it’s not as bad as it could be, but the movements were very rapid, and Bad is not yelling a greeting, so Dream  _ did  _ bring down his mood.

Goddammit, Dream.

Skeppy steps out of the guest room and goes down the stairs, walking toward the entrance.

“Heyyyy, Bad!” he greets loudly.

Bad ‘hrms’ at him. Not an annoyed one, just a tired one, maybe a little frustrated.

“How was the meeting?” he asks, feeling a bit nervous at the thought that there is an entire child in their mansion and that Bad is not aware of it. That, and he forgot the berries.

“It was great!” Bad says, and he beams to hide the tiredness in his eyes. Skeppy doesn’t raise it, the way he never raises Bad’s strange behavior following his discussions with Dream. “How was your morning, Geppy?”

Oh, Gods, he pronounces it Geppy today, not Skeppy, which makes Skeppy feel even more guilty because how can he disappoint a man as soft and kind as Bad? Gods, he shouldn’t have followed the stupid cat.

“It was, uh, interesting.”

“Interesting?” Bad perks up and flicks his tail furiously and Skeppy loves him so much it hurts.

“Yeah, I, uh, I saw a cat.”

“A cat?” Bad takes a chiding voice, but one that’s hiding some excitement, “Geppy, you didn’t adopt a stray, did you? You know how Sapnap is, I’d rather not-”

“No,” Skeppy interrupts him.

“No?”

“No, I didn’t pick up a stray.” Not that kind of stray, at least. Bad hums – the little pensive hums that he sometimes makes when he faces a particularly interesting puzzle. He pokes a finger against his lips with a pensive expression. “Ohhhh, did you... Did you…” Skeppy opens his mouth but Bad doesn’t give him a chance to speak. “No, no, let me guess!”

Skeppy presses his lips together and he takes a few steps away from the entrance and toward the kitchen, where they should be baking muffins together if he hadn’t messed up with the berries. Bad saunters after him, his mood brightened up by the sheer fact that they are in each other’s presence.

“Was it one of Ponk’s cats that you saved?” Bad babbles, “Wait, no, was it a stray, or was it someone’s cat? Just give me that hint and I’ll figure it out!”

“I don’t know what kind of cat it was, Bad,” Skeppy replies, at a loss for words. He isn’t certain how he is meant to just break it to Bad that there is a child in their house.

“You don’t?” Bad puffs his cheeks. “Then how was it interesting then?”

Skeppy looks away from Bad’s curious face. Maybe he should just rip it up like a band-aid. Maybe that’s the best solution.

“There’s-a-child-in-the-guest-bedroom.”

Bad blinks. Skeppy blinks back at him.

“Wait, what?” Bad has a small, bewildered smile.

“There’s a… a child. In the bedroom. Upstairs.”

Bad pauses for a few seconds. His tail has stopped flicking excitedly and he looks at Skeppy with narrowed eyes.

“Is it a prank?” he asks carefully. Skeppy shakes his head, his cheek burning with embarrassment.

“I just- I was getting the berries and then this cat came and he told me to follow it, and I went in this underwater bunker, and there was this kid with a crown, but not like Eret’s or Techno’s, and he wasn’t responding so I-”

“Woah, woah, woah- Skeppy!” There’s a hand against his shoulder. It’s warm and comforting, and Skeppy lets out a deep breath. “It’s okay! Is he from the kingdom or L’Manberg?” Skeppy shrugs. He wouldn’t know, with how little time he spends around them, and Bad knows that he wouldn’t know. He is just asking questions to ground him, to bring him back with him.

“I dunno,” he mumbles.

“Okay-” Bad says calmly, “He was in a bunker? Underwater?” Skeppy nods.

“Yeah, like a hidden obsidian room,” he adds, “There was a ton of stuff written on the walls but I didn’t… You know?”

Bad laughs quietly.

“I do-” he responds – and Skeppy knows that he does, because most of the time, they don’t need words to communicate. “Can I see him?” Skeppy shrugs.

“Yeah,” he says, “Yeah of course.”

He follows after him, climbing the stairs slowly while Bad almost rushes upstairs. Bad stops in front of the door and looks back at him questioningly, checking that it is okay for him to go ahead and enter. Skeppy gives him a nod. Bad smiles and walks in.

And then, Skeppy hears something that he hasn’t in years.

Bad curses.

Loudly.

“Bad?” he calls, and he is up the stairs and by the door in a second. “Bad, are you okay?”

Bad doesn’t reply, so Skeppy steps inside, his hand on his dagger. He might not be as good a fighter as Bad, and he much prefers agility and sky games to sword fighting, but Techno did teach him some tricks. 

If the kid has done  _ anything  _ to Bad, he will pay it a hundredth fold. 

He hasn’t, though. He is still sleeping peacefully. And Bad looks like he has seen a ghost. He is so incredibly pale – which should be impossible when Bad’s entire face is as dark as the void, and yet he is. He’s shaking.

Bad never shows fear. Not real, genuine fear. He  _ acts _ scared; that can happen. And sometimes, he is distrustful of one of Skeppy’s pranks. Sometimes, Skeppy manages to make him jump in surprise, when Bad is relaxed on the couch and lets his guard down. But Bad never looks scared and lost. Not like this.

The only thing Skeppy can think of is the way Bad sometimes wakes up with a scream and spends hours sobbing in Skeppy’s arms, apologizing to someone or something Skeppy doesn’t know, for reasons he cannot comprehend. 

This is far from it, of course, because it’s the middle of the day, and Bad hasn’t been sleeping. But this is the only thing he can think of. So he acts as he does when Bad wakes up from a nightmare, shaking and desperate for Skeppy to soothe it all down. 

He wraps his arms around Bad and holds him tightly. Bad’s body trembles against him and Skeppy just holds him a bit tighter. He buries his face in the crook of Bad’s neck, presses his nose to the demon’s hood. He breathes in deeply, takes in the scent he has learned to associate with Bad, with comfort, with family.

Bad is still shaking against him, so incredibly tense, and Skeppy feels so terrible for bringing the kid into their home.

“I can-” He licks his lips nervously. “I can just- He can leave,” he offers quietly, “I’ll bring him to Dream or something…”

“No!”

This is a roar. Bad’s voice is full of some much certainty – and something akin to anger, that Skeppy takes a step back.

“Bad?” he calls, searching his friend’s face. Bad relaxes a little, blinks a few times. He stares at the kid for another long moment before he looks back to Skeppy. His expression is completely unreadable. It’s another mystery, another puzzle, but Skeppy is afraid of this one.

“No,” Bad repeats, much gentler this time, almost begging, “No. Please. He- I want him to stay.”

The anger’s gone, and now Bad’s face is full of an impossible sadness. It almost seems like grief, and Skeppy doesn’t understand, and he doesn’t want to play a guessing game.

“Bad,” he asks, his voice uncharacteristically serious, “Bad, what’s happening?” Bad shakes his head, and Skeppy is so utterly confused. Bad never ever refuses to explain things to him. He’s always so happy, so excited, when Skeppy asks for his help, for his knowledge. But instead of answering, Bad just shrugs off the hand that Skeppy had placed on his shoulder and he moves to the bed.

He is impossibly quiet as walks, making Skeppy doubt that his feet are even touching the floor. Skeppy doesn’t understand. This isn’t a mystery he is familiar with, and this is not one he likes. Bad kneels by the side of the bed, his face near the kid’s, and he stares at him, as if fully entranced.

The resemblance is so much more striking now that they’re right next to each other, and Skeppy is so incredibly confused. He doesn’t like being confused; he doesn’t like not knowing. Usually, he is the one pulling the strings, preparing a prank, a funny reveal.

This doesn’t seem funny, though.

This is not funny to him.

Bad seems  _ broken _ . It reminds Skeppy of going stargazing in the mountains and having to hold Bad tightly to his chest while the demon stares into the black skies and  _ longs _ for something inaccessible. Bad is always too quiet in those moments, too. Broken in a secretive manner that Skeppy sees but never mentions. It’s a sort of taboo between them. Skeppy just doesn’t mention Bad’s past and, as long as it isn’t brought up, Bad is happy and gentle and kind, as he’s always been, and so Skeppy is happy too.

He doesn’t like broken Bad.

He doesn’t know how to fix him.

“Bad?” he calls – he is almost scared. He doesn’t understand this facet of Bad, he doesn’t know how to act, or what to do, or why the sight of the boy made Bad react like this. “Bad, I’m sorry,” he tries. “Talk to me…”

Bad shakes his head and his eyes do not leave the child. Skeppy bit the inside of his cheeks nervously. He doesn’t know what to do.

Should he call Dream? Dream is Bad’s oldest friend – well, Dream is the person who’s known Bad for the longest time. Skeppy isn’t sure that he can call what they had friendship, not when the Dream Team had, one day, shown up with a demon who very visibly did not want to be with them. Bad had been different back then, snarling and yelling and cursing and refusing to let anyone approach him. He’d begged and begged and begged for Skeppy to let him go home. But Skeppy hadn’t known what  _ home _ was, so he’d given Bad a different home, and hoped that it would be okay.

He can’t call Dream, he knows it. Not when Bad has reacted with so much anger at his simple mention. So Skeppy just feels lost. He would call in Sapnap and George, but he knows that they would bring Dream with them.

“Bad…” he tries again, “Bad, please, you’re scaring me.”

Bad looks up at that, and there’s infinite sadness in his eyes. He gives Skeppy a smile that freezes him from the inside. It’s too sad, too resigned, too  _ lost _ . It’s not a smile that Skeppy knows, not one he’s ever seen from Bad, and not one he ever wants to see again.

“I know,” Bad says softly, “I’m sorry, Skeppy. I just-” He sighs very deeply and turns his eyes back to the child. When he continues speaking, he does so in an incredibly gentle voice. The way he looks at the kid is almost filled with adoration, Skeppy realizes. “I just need to think.”

Skeppy bits his lower lip. He isn’t sure that he should leave Bad alone, but he’s never been able to refuse him anything. He moves to very gently touch Bad’s shoulder. Bad jerks off at the contact and Skeppy rips his hand away guiltily.

“Sorry,” he apologizes quickly, raising his hands in a surrendering motion. "I'm… I'm gonna give you some space. Just…" He sighs and brings a hand to the back of his neck, "Just… Come get me when you're done, okay?" He hesitates. "I'll be in the kitchen."

He could almost believe that Bad didn't hear him, by the way the demon stays completely immobile, his eyes on the child and the child only. Skeppy feels so uncomfortable, so out of place. He knows he is an observer of a situation he cannot hope to understand. An intruder in a reunion that he had never planned. Bad is acting so strangely, and Skeppy feels afraid.

"Bad?" he prompts gently. The demon hums. It's not a gentle one, not the one Bad makes when he tries to find an answer to a puzzle, and not the one that escapes Bad's lips when he tries not to laugh. It's a deeply lost one. Skeppy's heart feels so heavy in his chest. "Bad?" 

His friend stops humming and gives a half-distracted nod. 

"Yeah," he says softly, "Yes, I'll be out soon." Skeppy isn't sure if he can trust that, but he knows that he doesn't have another option. He cannot say no to Bad.

"Okay," he says gently and he walks toward the door, "Okay, I'm going now." He looks at Bad one last time. Bad seems so entranced by the child, and Skeppy distractedly wonders if this is what other people see when they watch him looking at Bad.

"Hey, Skeppy?" It's Bad's voice. Skeppy recenters his attention to him and hums to show that he is listening. "I'm sorry…"

The voice is so low, so soft, so broken, and Skeppy thinks that he could cry. He wants so desperately to step back into the room and wrap Bad in an embrace and never let go, but this isn't what Bad has asked for.

"You did nothing wrong," he says gently, "Just… Come get me, okay?" Bad nods.

Skeppy bites his lip worriedly but he decides to trust his best friend. He walks out and closes the door on them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, Skeppy feels guilty, and Bad is panicking. Not great.
> 
> Lots of backstory incoming in the next chapter :))
> 
> I'm super excited to see what y'all thought!! Thanks for reading!


	3. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad looks at the boy who’s laying under the sheets – the sheets that Skeppy has laid on the bed, the one they’ve chosen together for their new home, and he feels so incredibly conflicted. This isn’t normal; this should have never happened, and Bad doesn’t know how to take any of this. He should be making muffins with Skeppy, not carefully searching the long-lost prince’s face.  
> His prince looks so fragile on the white sheets. He is pale – not as pale as the linen, but almost, and he looks sickish. And mostly, he looks small and mortal, and so incredibly far from everything he should be. From everything he is, to Bad, and to the realm he should rule.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Thank you so much for all of the comments and support for the past chapter!  
> As promised, here is some backstory! We hinted at Bad's arrival to the Overworld, but here is a first-hand account of it :))  
> This is also one of the very rare Bad's POVs in this fic. I hope y'all like the chapter! :)
> 
> Enjoy!!

The Mother is Dead.

Bad has failed. 

He snarls and struggles, but the bonds on his hands and his ankles resist his best efforts to break free. Even the incantations he spoke in Endspeak, before they gagged him, were useless. He feels as though he's been cut off from his source - and he has. The Mother is Dead and he has been taken away from his home. 

He doesn't understand this dimension – this 'Overworld' the Hunters speak of – but he knows that he doesn't like it. He feels dizzy, uneasy. There's a constant cold gust of air that hits his cheeks and threatens to remove the hood from his head. There's something shining in the sky - it is the wrong color, and the thing is bright and painful to the eyes. Bad glares at it fiercely and he shifts on the ground. It feels wet and soft, nothing like the dry stones he is used to, and there are thousands of bright prickly things under him. They tickle his legs uncomfortably and he wants to burn them down.

The Hunters stare at him. He imagines they do, at least, because one of them – the murderer, the Godslayer – has a mask, and his closest companion has dark glasses over his eyes. The last one is staring, though, but his expression is unreadable. 

Bad snarls at him and he resumes his struggling, desperately trying to break free from his bindings. 

"Stop," the masked one says, "It's useless. Sapnap is good at knots. You're stuck here until he lets you out." Bad growls at him and his eyes shine with a fury that he's never felt before. He could kill him, he thinks. If his hands weren’t bound, the man would be dead on the ground. "Come on," the man adds, his voice a little gentler, "You'll just tire yourself out..."

"Dream..." his companion – the one with the glasses – tries, voice soft and a bit hesitant, "Are you sure this was a good idea? He clearly doesn't want to be here."

"He's sentient, George!" the masked one – Dream – responds. It feels like this is a conversation they already had. Maybe they did, while Bad was busy struggling against the last man (Sapnap?) and trying to prevent him from tying him down and gagging him. "We couldn't just... leave him there..."

"I don't know, man, you left the Endermen there..." the third man – Sapnap – notes. He is playing with a black device that creates fire, the same way the Mother did, but so much weaker. Bad glares at him.

"Because they're not sentient, Sap!" Dream insists, throwing his hands up in the air. "They don't think! They just have some hive mind mentality, and that's all! Him?" He points a finger toward Bad, who thinks of biting it off. He would, if it weren’t for the gag. "He's got feelings."

"Yeah, and we've severely hurt them," George points out, crossing his arms, "We killed the thing he was protecting, and we kidnapped him." Dream looks down and takes a few steps back, pacing around Bad while the demon glowers at him.

"How do we know that it was kidnapping?" Dream asks in a lower voice, "For all we know, the dragon might have been holding him captive! Maybe he wanted to escape! How are we so certain it wasn't the case?" Sapnap blinks.

"Uh, ‘cause he tried to kill us to protect it?" He lets out a nervous chuckle, "Man, I know that you don't want to be the bad guy, but we literally _are_ , in his eyes. There's no arguing against that."

Bad growls at the way Dream continues to turn around him, observing him like a particularly interesting animal. He is the one arguing that he is sentient, and yet he is also the one disregarding his feelings. He is the one that dragged him through the portal.

"He'll understand," Dream says slowly, as if he were trying to convince himself more than his companions, "We'll show him the Overworld and he'll grow to love it. One day he'll understand that we had to kill the dragon. We had to free the End!"

Free the End? Bad is conflicted between screaming and crying. He opts to continue glaring fiercely. The Hunters didn't free the End. They threw it into chaos. They committed a regicide; they left the dimension Motherless. 

And they left the prince motherless. 

Bad feels a stab at his heart. They made the prince an orphan. They took his mother from him, and they took Bad too. He is alone in the dark void that they called home, and Bad has completely failed. 

He's failed to protect the Mother, his Queen, and he's failed his most vital mission. He couldn't protect the crown prince, his charge, and the future of the Realm. 

He had just had the time to shove the prince in one of the black towers, pressing a finger to his lips, and ignoring the fear and confusion in the child's heterochromatic eyes. He'd ignored the pang in his heart and the tug at his chest as he'd walked away. He'd called his wings, manifesting them into existence and spreading them wide. He had launched into the air and toward the center of the island, presenting himself to the Hunters and taking their attention away from the Mother. He'd towered above them, wings flapping menacingly, daggers in his hands, his bright eyes shining with fury and readying himself for a battle. He was lethal, and he was ready to give his life for his Realm.

And he had failed. 

They hadn't taken his life - they had _purposely_ avoided dealing any deadly blow. Instead, they had killed the Mother and dragged Bad away from his charge, ignoring his protests. They hadn't taken his life, but they had taken his _life_. They had taken him away from everything he knew and, worst of all, they had separated him from his prince.

And now Dream wants to say that he will _understand_.

Bad will never understand, he will never accept this, he will never love this realm. He will miss his dimension, his home, his prince forever.

Forever is long for humans, but it is nothing to an immortal demon. He curses the foreign world around him and tells himself that he will never learn to love it. He glares at the Hunters and silently makes the promise to never forget what they did to him and to his home. They might have wanted to do what's best, but Bad will resent them forever for it.

* * *

Bad stares at his prince in front of him, and the guilt he feels threatens to crush him. The boy looks so frail, so damaged by the horrors of a world he should never have seen. Bad doesn't know how he arrived there, to the Overland, to this land, and he doesn't know whether it is a blessing or a curse.

His prince is back, but at what cost?

He looks so fragile; he has dark bags under his eyes and traces of tears littering his cheeks. Bad wants to find whoever it was that made his charge cry and he wants to destroy them. To make them regret ever being born. 

Skeppy has called him a kid but all Bad can see is how much he has grown up. The young prince is almost an adult now, almost a king. His face has lost its baby fat and his body is leaner and much taller than Bad remembers it. He looks grown and yet so incredibly fragile and Bad has to fight the urge to touch the prince's bicolor hair. 

He cannot take his eyes away, he cannot look away from his charge. From the boy he thought he would never see again. The boy he had grieved and whose absence he had learned to live with. Bad brings a shaking hand to his eyes and clumsily dries his tears. He hadn't even noticed that he was crying. 

He is, though, and his vision is slowly becoming blurry, but he still can't look away from the prince. He feels like the boy would disappear the very second he takes his eyes off him. It wouldn't make sense, but neither does the prince's presence in the first place.

Bad thinks that he might be dreaming, but this would be a cruel, cruel dream. He is used to nightmares, though, he has them often enough, and he always feels guilty at the thought that he is worrying Skeppy, that Skeppy has to spend his nights holding him tightly to his chest and trying to calm his uncontrollable sobbing without understanding the reason for the tears. 

It isn't fair to Skeppy, Bad knows it, but he cannot make himself tell Skeppy about the End, about the Mother, and about the way he abandoned his charge and betrayed his most sacred promise. He is ashamed of it. He doesn't want to see the shock and the incomprehension in Skeppy's eyes. He is afraid of seeing the adoration in Skeppy's eyes shift to disgust, so he says nothing. He leaves Skeppy in the dark about the nightmares, about his past, and Skeppy, ever the understanding friend, never asks. It's not fair, but it works.

This nightmare though - this cruel, cruel dream - Skeppy is going to ask about it. Bad is not going to be able to simply refuse to explain the child in their house and his relationship to him. He is afraid. He doesn’t want Skeppy to hate him.

He had promised himself to hate this world, all those years ago.

He broke his promise the day he laid eyes on Skeppy.

He can resent the world. He can resent Dream, and George, and Sapnap. He can resent the water, and the wind, and the sun, and the grass, and everything that reminds him that he was ripped away from his dimension. But Skeppy? Bad cannot resent him.

He’s tried, though. He had tried to find Skeppy’s pranks annoying, he had tried to hate the boy’s smile, he had tried to detest his laugh. And he’d failed.

Skeppy had refused to step away when Bad had snarled at him, and he’d ignored Dream’s warnings that Bad was dangerous. He’d smiled at him, kind and gentle, and he’d held out his hand. He had given him a patient and gentle smile and he had sat next to him for hours, not bothered by the fact that Bad refused to speak. When Dream had decided that it was time to go, Skeppy had smiled wider and said that he hoped to see him again.

Bad hadn’t understood. He hated the realm, he hated the overworld, and he hated the mortals that populated it. But Skeppy? Skeppy was an enigma, one that Bad couldn’t solve. And so, he was fascinating. 

The Hunters, Bad had figured them out. Dream wanted to control the Realm, but he wanted to do so _for the Greater Good_ , and he wanted to convince his companions that he was in the right. Sapnap was high on Dream’s powers, especially after Dream had stolen it all from the Mother, and so he stayed with him. He liked Dream’s goals and strength and he pretended to believe that they were right. George was Dream’s friend first and foremost and so he had decided to follow him to the end of the world. He was the one that was most aware of the flaws in Dream’s reasoning but also the one least likely to leave. Bad had understood all of that. He hadn’t cared much for it.

Skeppy had remained an enigma, and Bad had hated him and loved him for it.

And one day, Skeppy had convinced Dream to trust him with Bad. He’d convinced him that Bad would be safe with him and – more importantly – that he would be safe with Bad. That the entirety of the land would be safe _from_ Bad. Bad had wanted to laugh at that, because he _hated_ the realm and he would destroy it if given a chance, and he would run from it and return to the End at the first opportunity.

And then Bad’s wish to laugh had stopped because Skeppy, annoying, irritating, frustrating Skeppy had made Bad love the Overworld. He had taught Bad to love watching the clouds and the blue sky, and swimming in the river, and laying in the grass, under the sun, and gazing at the sunset. And, more than that, he’d taught Bad to love him.

Skeppy is _impossible_ , in the best way possible. He is annoying on his better days, and Bad loves him so much despite it all (because of it all). He hates that Skeppy made him love the Overworld, and he loves Skeppy for it.

Skeppy is the reason Bad stopped grieving for the world – the home – that he was forced to leave, the reason Bad learned to smile and laugh again. Skeppy has become Bad’s world. His second home.

And now Bad’s worlds are colliding, and Bad doesn’t know what to do about it.

He looks at the prince who’s laying under the sheets – the sheets that Skeppy has laid on the bed, the one they’ve chosen together for their new home, and he feels so incredibly conflicted. This isn’t normal; this should have never happened, and Bad doesn’t know how to take any of this. He should be making muffins with Skeppy, not carefully searching the long-lost prince’s face.

His prince looks so fragile on the white sheets. He is pale – not as pale as the linen, but almost, and he looks sickish. And mostly, he looks small and mortal, and so incredibly far from everything he should be. From everything he _is_ , to Bad, and to the realm he should rule.

Why is he here?

Bad doesn’t understand, doesn’t want to understand, and he is too afraid to ask Dream. He is afraid to see the white mask tilt very slightly and reveal the man’s smile. He is afraid of hearing Dream reveal that he did it again. That, the same way he ripped Bad from his world, he has deprived his prince of the kingdom he deserves.

So he doesn’t ask and, instead, he watches as the prince sleeps peacefully.

He doesn’t know how much time passes but, eventually, the prince stirs very lightly. Bad holds his breath. Heterochromatic eyes open and stare at him, still clouded by sleep, and Bad smiles very softly.

“Hey,” he whispers as gently as he can. The boy blinks at him sleepily, like he doesn’t realize what’s happening.

Bad looks at the red and green eyes, and he feels like a sword has been driven through his chest. He feels so much pain, and he cannot explain how the sight of those eyes can induce so much homesickness, so much nostalgia.

“Hey,” he repeats, and he very gently, very slowly reaches a hand. The boy blinks but does not move. Bad touches his fingers to the prince’s. They brush against each other; it’s barely a true physical contact, but Bad feels like all the air has been taken from his lungs. It hurts to breathe but, at the same time, it is the first time Bad can breathe since the day he left the End.

The prince is very clearly still half asleep because he doesn’t even attempt to speak. He merely looks at Bad and blinks at him curiously.

“Rest, my prince,” Bad says in a murmur, “Rest. You are safe.” He pauses. “Welcome home, Prince Ranboo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So- here we go! Before Dream got to his manipulation of minors, he also was very good at destroying families and kidnapping demons. 
> 
> So now we know parts of what's up. Skeppy still needs to find out, though. That will come progressively! Some discussion next chapter!
> 
> I'm super excited to see what y'all thought! I had a ton of fun writing this one! Younger Dream is genuinely not as bad as he will become later on.  
> Oh and Bad is still not doing Great.
> 
> Thanks for reading!! :)


	4. Puzzle pieces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don’t want things to change, Skeppy.”  
> Skeppy wants to reassure him, but he knows that things have changed irreversibly the moment Bad laid his eyes on the kid.  
> “They don’t have to change,” he offers weakly. He likes games and, even if pretending is not his favorite game, if Bad wants to play it, Skeppy will. Forever, if he has to, if this is what will keep Bad happy.  
> “No,” Bad sighs, “They do. It’s not fair to you, and it’s not fair to him.”  
> “Him,” Skeppy repeats, “Does he have a name?”   
> “He does,” Bad says softly, “It’s Ranboo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!
> 
> Here is chapter 4! We are back with Skeppy, who is determined to get (some) answers. 
> 
> Enjoy!!

The sun is almost fully down by the time Skeppy hears the door of the guest bedroom open and close quietly.

He quickly wipes his tears on his sleeve and gives his reflection a poor smile. He doesn’t know what Bad is going through, but he has to be supportive. He cannot afford to just break down in front of the demon. Not when he is the one who brought all of this pain into their home. Into Bad’s safe space.

Bad needs support, he needs Skeppy to be strong and sturdy and a friend he can lean on, and so Skeppy will be just that.

Even if he spent the entire afternoon pacing in the living room.

Even if he considered ignoring Bad’s wishes and going to get Dream, because he felt too afraid for his friend’s safety.

Even if he thought about going to Technoblade and begging the man to help him, to give him any form of advice on what to do. (He’d known that Techno would blink at him stupidly because Techno was  _ bad _ at social interactions).

Even if he ate half of their food supplies because it gave him something to do, and Skeppy was stressed and restless.

Even if he rearranged the living room and solved every puzzle he owned twice.

Even if his hands had started shaking around the pieces.

Even if he had cried silently in the living room, so utterly terrified to lose his friend.

Bad needs Skeppy to be strong, and so he will be strong.

Skeppy places the puzzle back into its box and its box back on the shelves, exactly where it is supposed to be. He doesn’t care much for tidiness and organization, and neither does Bad, but their puzzles and board games have a special place in their hearts. This is how they bonded, and Bad wants them to be stored carefully, as if they represented a part of their friendship. Skeppy cannot say no to his best friend. He looks at the puzzles on the shelves - a physical representation of his and Bad’s friendship - and counts to ten, forward and backward.

“Geppy?”

It’s Bad’s voice, and Skeppy has never felt so stressed to hear his best friend speak.

Normally, the sound of the demon’s voice is appeasing and immediately brings a smile to Skeppy’s lips. Right now, it threatens to break his heart.

“Hey,” he says, and he gives a nervous chuckle. He moves from the shelves to the couch and sits down. He turns to look at the stairs where Bad is standing, hesitant and stressed. He is wringing his hands together, and Skeppy wants to take them and squeeze them and promise that everything will be okay.

He doesn’t know if it will.

He pats the spot beside him on the couch and Bad nods and moves from the stairs. Skeppy looks away and stares at his own hands, willing them not to shake. The couch dips a little beside him and Skeppy takes a deep breath.

“So…” He bits his lip and closes his eyes. He hears Bad take a sharp intake of breath.

“So,” his best friend responds. Skeppy doesn’t look but he moves his hand to the gap between them. Bad’s hand finds his, and they intertwine their fingers, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. It is, to them. Skeppy’s heart is a little lighter.

“So,” he tries again, “You know the kid?”

Bad’s hand tenses against his, and Skeppy gives it a reassuring squeeze.

“I do,” the demon says, “It’s a very long story.” Skeppy hums.

“I have a lot of time.”

“I don’t know if I want to tell it,” Bad admits. Skeppy tries not to feel hurt by the reveal.

“Okay,” he responds, “Then you don’t have to.” Bad relaxes and their shoulders brush.

“I know him, though,” Bad murmurs, as if speaking the words any louder would invite something terrifying into their house. Skeppy isn’t sure what it is, and whether he has already invited it by bringing the boy home. “From before.”

They both know what  _ before _ is. It is the time before Bad and Skeppy. For Skeppy, it is the time when Technoblade was his closest friend and when pranks and puzzles ruled his life. It is the time before Bad’s laughs and Bad’s “hrms” and their home next to the sea. 

For Bad… Skeppy isn’t sure what  _ before _ was for Bad. Bad never wanted to tell, and Skeppy never pressed. He regrets it now, because maybe – maybe – if he knew what  _ before  _ was, he’d be able to comfort Bad in the way his friend so desperately needs.

He’s always assumed that Dream knows about  _ before _ . There is something in the way Bad sometimes speaks of the man that tells Skeppy that their story goes far back, goes back to  _ before _ . Skeppy tries not to think about the fact that Dream knows something about his best friend that he ignores, and he tries not to resent Dream for it.

“From before,” he repeats calmly, chewing over the information, the new piece of the puzzle that is Bad. The boy – the boy Skeppy found in an underwater bunker – is from  _ before _ . “Does Dream know him?”

It’s the wrong thing to say. Bad tenses back up and Skeppy’s shoulder feels so incredibly cold when Bad moves away, when his best friend stops leaning against him. Their hands are still clasped together, though, so Skeppy didn’t mess up too much.

“No,” Bad says, and he lets out a small laugh – a broken and sad laugh, “No, I don’t think he does.” He pauses and there’s fear in his voice when he speaks again: “I hope he doesn’t.”

Skeppy is so incredibly out of his depth. So much that he doesn’t know what the right questions are anymore. He doesn’t want to ask something else that will make Bad laugh so sadly, or something that will make him be afraid. He doesn’t want to hear the fear in Bad’s voice; that’s the only thing he is certain of.

“Okay,” he says slowly, “Then we don’t let him find out.”

Bad laughs a little, shy and uneasy.

“It’s not that easy, Skeppy,” he responds, shaking his head, “I wish it was that easy.”

Skeppy shoves back the annoyance and the feeling of helplessness. He bites his tongue tightly so he doesn’t speak the words that burn his lips. The plea for Bad to just  _ trust him _ and let him into the secrets from  _ before. _ If Bad just told him a little more, gave him just a few more pieces of the puzzle, Skeppy could solve the enigma and he could find a solution for them.

But Bad doesn’t need Skeppy’s annoyance; he doesn’t need Skeppy’s insecurities; he doesn’t need Skeppy pestering him about a past he made clear he wants to forget. So he shoves it all back.

“Why is it not?” he asks, “We can hide him. Dream barely ever comes here anyway.” He shrugs. “You can just say I’m feeling particularly clingy this week and I’m not letting anyone in.”

Bad’s hand squeezes his fingers a little too tight.

“It’s not that easy,” he repeats, “You don’t understand.”

“Then help me understand, Bad!” Skeppy snaps, and he desperately wishes to be able to go back, just a second earlier, so he could change his tone, and prevent himself from sounding so upset.

Bad looks at him. Really looks – for the first time since he first saw the kid.

“I’m not being fair to you, Skeppy, am I?” 

Skeppy clenches the one hand that isn’t holding Bad’s into a fist. He isn’t certain whether he should lie and reassure his friend or take the opportunity to earn one more piece of the puzzle.

Skeppy’s too curious for his own good.

“I’m- Not really…” he says slowly, and he tries to ignore the way Bad flinches at the admission, “I feel a little lost, Bad.” A little is a euphemism, but Skeppy hates hurting Bad, and this is already one of the most hurtful things he has ever told him.

Bad’s hand frees itself from the hold and Skeppy feels so incredibly cold. His entire body is frozen at the loss, and at the dread. Is that it? Is Bad going to leave?

Bad buries his face in his hands.

Oh.

“I’m sorry…” Bad mumbles against his own hands, “I wish- I’m just- I don’t want things to change, Skeppy.”

Skeppy wants to reassure him, but he knows that things have changed irreversibly the moment Bad laid his eyes on the kid.

He licks his lips nervously.

“They don’t have to change,” he offers weakly. He likes games and, even if pretending is not his favorite game, if Bad wants to play it, Skeppy will. Forever, if he has to, if this is what will keep Bad happy.

“No,” Bad sighs, “They do. It’s not fair to you, and it’s not fair to him.”

“Him,” Skeppy repeats, “Does he have a name?” Bad moves a little from his position. He keeps one hand against his eyes, but the other finds Skeppy’s again. They link their fingers together.

“He does,” Bad says softly, “It’s Ranboo.”

Ranboo.

That brings up no memories whatsoever.

Skeppy nods, disappointed that this piece of the puzzle is revealed to be useless. It’s one of the middle ones, one he cannot use until he has found all the corner pieces.

“Okay,” he says, “That’s a fun name.” He hesitates, and the silence grows a little awkward. There are hundreds of questions that burn his lips but he isn’t sure if speaking them will break the fragile peace they have formed. Bad squeezes his hand very softly. A permission. “He looks like you,” Skeppy says. “He  _ feels  _ like you.”

A small smile dances on Bad’s lips.

“He feels like me?” he repeats. There’s amusement in his voice. 

Skeppy shrugs. “His aura or something. I don’t know, man! He just… He reminded me of you.” Bad’s smile falls.

“It makes sense,” he says, “We are from the same place.”

That piece of the puzzle fits, neat and nicely. They are from the same place, and that place is from  _ before _ .

Skeppy hesitates.

“You wanna tell me about that place?” he asks carefully. Bad shakes his head.

“I’m sorry…” he whispers, and Skeppy forgives him instantly, because he can never be angry at Bad. Bad hums, the little sound he lets out when he tries to think of what to say. Usually it’s when he and Skeppy are playing games together, when Skeppy is about to win and guess Bad’s cards and Bad is desperately trying to determine whether bluffing is worth it. “Dream took me from that place,” he says.

Skeppy’s heart stops beating.

“He… took you?” he repeats. Bad is completely stiff next to him. Skeppy holds his hand a little tighter. “By force?”

Bad nods, and Skeppy wants to walk to the kingdom and kill Dream. He wants to scream. He wants to destroy the entirety of the kingdom. He wants to fight Dream, Sapnap, and George and make them regret ever looking in Bad’s direction.

He knows he can’t have any of it. He has to be there for Bad. He squeezes his hand. 

“That’s why I wasn’t… You know… Very kind, when we first met,” Bad continues. Skeppy nods. He remembers.

He had loved Bad the moment he’d looked at him, even if there was nothing but rage and fury in the white eyes, and even if Bad had snarled at him, and even if he’d tried to attack him. He had loved Bad even as Dream had needed to restrain him and to quickly inform Skeppy that the demon was dangerous and unstable.

Bad had been so far from what he is now. He had been savage and wild and had wanted to  _ leave _ , more than anything. Skeppy had loved him, almost as much as he loves Bad now.

“Yeah,” Skeppy says. He feels bitter. He should have noticed that Dream was holding Bad against his will. To be honest, he had. He had noticed Bad’s fury, and he had known that Bad didn’t want to be there. But he had been so enraptured by everything Bad  _ was  _ that he had refused to question how he was there. “Yeah, I fucking bet.”

Bad nudges him, gently pushing their shoulders together in warning.

“Language,” he reminds him.

“Bad,” Skeppy protests, bewildered, “You just told me that one of your best friends  _ kidnapped  _ you from your homeland. I think I’m allowed to swear.”

“No,” Bad responds, “It’s never an option.” Skeppy rolls his eyes and his heart feels a little lighter.

Bad is still  _ Bad _ , even if he has been forcefully ripped away from his world, and even if there’s a child from the same land in their house. He is still Bad, and so Skeppy loves him.

“Did Dream also take him?” he asks, “Ranboo, I mean.” Bad shrugs, then shakes his head.

“I don’t know. I don’t think so.” He looks away and toward the staircase – toward the guest bedroom – “Not at the same time as me, at least.”

Skeppy nods, puts that piece of the puzzle on the side. It will fit soon.

“So when did he come here?” he asks. Bad shrugs again.

“I don’t know the answer to that one,” he says, “I really don’t.” He licks his lips nervously and looks at Skeppy. “I thought- I didn’t think I’d ever see him again.”

Their hands tighten around each other. Skeppy rubs his thumb on the back of Bad’s hand in what he hopes is an appeasing gesture.

“Did you think he was dead?”

Bad laughs. It’s sad and wet and if Skeppy learns that Dream made him cry, he will kill him. God of the land or not.

“I wasn’t sure,” Bad admits with this little broken laugh that Skeppy hates. Bad is not allowed to sound sad. Not ever. He will do everything in his power to make sure Bad is never sad again. He goes to voice that but Bad continues. “I was supposed to protect him,” he says. “Before.”

_ Before. _

Skeppy claims that piece of the puzzle too. It fits perfectly. It doesn’t make sense that Skeppy has somehow found the one child that Bad was meant to protect  _ before, _ but it fits in the puzzle.

“Before Dream came?” Skeppy asks carefully. Bad nods, stiff and tense, and Skeppy wants to destroy Dream. “Did he hurt him?” he continues.

“No.” Bad responds, “No. I made sure he didn’t.” He pauses and Skeppy hears him swallow before he continues. “I failed everything else, but not that.”

“Hey.” Skeppy’s voice is firm, and he moves so he can look into his friend’s eyes. Bad needs to hear this. “If you kept the kid safe, you did your job. You didn’t fail, Bad.”

Bad’s eyes fill with tears and now Skeppy wants to kick Dream  _ and _ himself. Dammit.

But it seems like it was the right thing to say, because Bad launches himself and buries his face in Skeppy’s chest, against his hoodie. Skeppy wraps his arms around the demon and holds him tightly. Bad shakes a little as he cries, but it’s calm, quiet, and it seems almost cathartic. Skeppy places his chin on top of Bad’s head, just where his hair meets the hood, and he holds his best friend, tries to show him that he is here for him. For as long as Bad needs it.

When Bad emerges, his face is wet, and he sniffles disgracefully, and Skeppy loves him. He brushes a hand against Bad’s cheeks, wipes the tears from his cheeks tenderly.

“There you go,” he whispers, “You didn’t fail. You’re strong, Bad. You kept him safe, and now he is back with us.”

“Yeah…” Bad says with a bitter laugh.

“And so now we keep him safe together, okay?” Bad widens his eyes and he stares at Skeppy as if he had grown a second head.

“We what?”

There he is. This is Bad. This is Bad’s dumbfounded and shocked voice, the voice he takes when Skeppy finally reveals a prank, after hours of pulling Bad’s leg. Skeppy is serious this time, though, so he doesn’t start laughing at Bad’s confusion.

“We keep him safe,” he repeats. “It’s you and me, Bad, isn’t it?” He meets Bad eyes, enjoys the way they soften at the words, “We promised, remember?”

Bad shifts to be a little closer to him, he resettles in Skeppy’s arms, and Skeppy almost loses his train of thought as he admires the way Bad  _ fits _ so perfectly.

“Yeah,” Bad responds with incredible fondness in his voice, “I remember.” Skeppy nods.

“Okay, so it’s the both of us. And if you want to protect the kid, I’m in.”

Bad bits his lip deeply and the way he shifts now is not to seek affection or comfort. It’s a nervous movement. Like he is considering the option rather than accepting it immediately, as Skeppy might have wished.

“Even from Dream?” he asks. Skeppy almost laughs, because he’s imagined the worst when Bad had seemed hesitant.

“Of course,” he says quickly. “Fuck him.”

Bad hits his shoulder lightly – a gentle hit that is more of a caress than anything.

“Language!” Skeppy laughs. Bad chuckles with him. “You’re impossible…” he mutters, and there’s even the pretending-to-be-annoyed "hrm." Skeppy grins.

“For real, though, Bad,” he insists, “I’m with you. Always.”

Bad hums – it’s a gentle one, a fond one. Skeppy’s heart sings.

“I know,” he says, and there’s so much certainty in his tone. It’s reassuring. At the end of the day, even if their world is crumbling around them, they’ve got each other. Bad knows it, which is all that matters to Skeppy.

“So you want to keep the kid safe from Dream,” he starts, “I got a solution.”

Bad looks up at him, eyes curious and hopeful. His tail flickers expectantly and Skeppy thinks, not the first time, that he would die for his best friend.

“Yeah?” Bad prompts. “Don’t keep secrets, Geppy!” Skeppy grins. This is another game – a maze – and he’s found an exit. 

He is so good at games.

“There’s one man on the server who actually scares Dream,” he begins, “And I’m really good friends with him.” Bad’s eyes widen.

“You don’t-”

“I say we go to Technoblade.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're going to get the Blade!!   
> Ranboo gets to keep collecting Dads. And Skeppy is still ready to throw hands with Dream. This poor man has no sense of self-preservation.
> 
> Thank you all for reading!! I'm excited to see what you thought!


	5. On the Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “He’s gonna be okay,” he promises, his voice uncharacteristically serious, “I trust Techno.” Bad stiffens a little at the mention of Ranboo and they both fall into silence and pause to look at him. The kid is walking ahead of them, his steps careful on the snow. He stops to look at a rabbit.  
> “I know,” Bad says. There’s an apology in his voice, and Skeppy knows that Bad doesn’t want to seem so mistrustful of his idea. “It’s just-”  
> “You’re afraid for him,” Skeppy completes, “I understand.” He doesn’t; he doesn’t really understand why Bad is so incredibly worried, especially when they haven’t established a clear threat. But if Bad wants to protect the kid, if Bad says that the child is worth worrying about, then Skeppy will protect him and worry about him.  
> He’s never been good at saying no to Bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Thanks again for all of the comments these past chapters! They really make my day!! Here is a nice transition chapter. Ranboo gets to go on a road trip with Dad #1 and #2!
> 
> Enjoy!!

The tundra is so  _ fucking _ cold.

Skeppy doesn’t like it.

He doesn’t think that Bad likes it either, not with the way he has wrapped himself in his cloak, draped the hood a bit lower on his head, and has hidden his entire face in one of Skeppy’s scarfs. The blue clashes with Bad’s black skin, but Skeppy thinks that it looks wonderful.

Bad had discovered snow a few years ago, and it had been an adventure. The demon had touched the white powder curiously, scrunching his nose when it had melted on contact and changed into water. And though Skeppy loved when his friend was adorable, he loved pranking him even more. So he had tackled him into the snow, earning himself a surprised shriek followed by Bad’s unique way of swearing. He’d taught him snow angels and snowmen, and Bad had been an excellent autodidact when it came to snowball fights. Skeppy hasn’t given him a choice. He’d just waited until Bad was distractedly cooing at his ‘Snow Skeppy’ and he’d thrown a ball at his back. Bad had jumped and shrieked and puffed his cheeks, but at the end of the day, he had fought back.

It had been fun.

This isn’t fun.

They don’t have time to stop to make snow angels, and even if they found a lake, Skeppy doesn’t think that Bad would be in the mood to learn to ice-skate.

Bad’s entire attention is turned to the boy who walks with them, quiet and docile. He fusses over Ranboo, making sure that he isn’t too cold, or too tired, or too hungry. The kid smiles politely, almost embarrassed, and he whispers some words to reassure Bad.

Skeppy knows it isn’t enough, not with the clear worry that shines in Bad’s eyes.

The real worry, Skeppy knows, isn’t about Ranboo’s physical well-being, though. Bad glances behind them too often, and his hands are always a little too close to his bow for his worry to be simply about whether Ranboo feels warm enough. When they take short breaks and sit on the cold stones and gaze upon the deserted tundra, Bad walks around the perimeter, muttering something in a guttural tongue Skeppy doesn’t understand. His black hands shine with power and his eyes are a little brighter as he speaks, and Skeppy doesn’t ask questions. He never does.

Bad is tense and stiff and scared, and Skeppy doesn’t like it.

He thought suggesting that they go to Technoblade’s and ask for his help in protecting the child would be enough to appease Bad. But clearly, there’s something that he still doesn’t understand. Bad is Ranboo’s protector, but there’s still a crucial piece of the puzzle that Skeppy’s missing, that Bad is holding back.

Why would Dream want the kid?

It doesn’t make sense, and Skeppy has deconstructed and reconstructed the puzzle several times, but he just doesn’t have enough material to see the picture. Bad’s still hiding something from him, and Skeppy is trying so desperately not to be upset about it.

He needs to focus on Bad, on Bad who is upset because he is so afraid for the child’s safety.

He slows down his pace until Bad has caught up to him. Ranboo seems like a very perceiving child because it only takes him looking into Skeppy’s eyes to give a small nod and move slightly away. Bad’s eyes dart after him and he goes to voice a protest but Skeppy’s hand finds his.

Bad’s fingers are so cold.

Skeppy watches the way his best friend turns his head ever so slightly to keep an eye on the child even as they walk together. He laces their fingers together. Bad doesn’t protest.

“Do you remember when you first saw snow?” Bad laughs a little and relaxes next to Skeppy.

“I do,” he chuckles, “You threw me head-first in it.”

“Hey!” Skeppy protests, “It wasn’t head-first! If anything, your back hit it first.” Bad laughs a little more and lets out an amused-but-pretending-to-be-annoyed ‘hrm.’

“Whatever you say, Geppy.”

Oh. It’s Geppy. Skeppy’s smile is so warm that he is afraid it’s going to melt down the snow. He holds Bad’s hand a little tighter.

“He’s gonna be okay,” he promises, his voice uncharacteristically serious, “I trust Techno.” Bad stiffens a little at the mention of Ranboo and they both fall into silence and pause to look at him. The kid is walking ahead of them, his steps careful on the snow. He stops to look at a rabbit.

“I know,” Bad says. There’s an apology in his voice, and Skeppy knows that Bad doesn’t want to seem so mistrustful of his idea. “It’s just-”

“You’re afraid for him,” Skeppy completes, “I understand.” He doesn’t; he doesn’t really understand why Bad is so incredibly worried, especially when they haven’t established a clear threat. But if Bad wants to protect the kid, if Bad says that the child is worth worrying about, then Skeppy will protect him and worry about him.

He’s never been good at saying no to Bad.

“Are you sure Techno will agree to protect him?” Bad asks as they walk together. Skeppy shrugs.

“Dunno. He owes me, though. I saved his horse.” Bad blinks at him and lets out another ‘hrm,’ a more annoyed one this time. A ‘I can’t believe you.’

“You’re risking the safety of Ranboo on the hopes that Techno cares about his horse enough to feel indebted to you?” Skeppy grins at that, and he bumps their shoulders together.

“Trust me, he does!” He laughs. “The man was so terrified of something happening to it. It was hilarious!”

Bad hums a little but his fingers relax in Skeppy’s hold.

“Okay,” he says, “Okay, I trust you.” And doesn’t Skeppy love these words.

He knows Bad trusts him, of course he does. They’re each other’s best friends, each other’s  _ everything _ , but Skeppy still loves hearing Bad say it.

“Bad,” he insists, “You want the kid safe, I’ll make sure he is.” Bad squeezes his hand, a silent answer. “I know I joke around, but not with that.”

Bad moves a little closer to him and he rests his head on Skeppy’s shoulder for a second. Skeppy catches Ranboo’s curious eyes and he gives him a small smile.

“Thank you, Geppy,” Bad whispers, “I don’t know where I’d be without you.”

It’s a simple phrase, one that Skeppy has heard dozens of times. But this time, it holds some meaning to it, some meaning that is too heavy for Skeppy to really comprehend. Where would Bad be without him? Would he still be the angry and feral demon he had been when they’d first met? When Bad had seemed to hate the Overworld and the Dream Team and know nothing but anger?

Would Bad still be full of hatred if it wasn’t for Skeppy?

He doesn’t ask, because they never talk about these serious things. Well, they used not to. Skeppy isn’t sure where they stand now.

He wants to ask, but Ranboo speaks up,

“Bad,” he calls, almost timidly, hesitant to interrupt their conversation, “Is this it?”

Bad lets go of Skeppy’s hand and he moves forward, joining Ranboo a few steps ahead. Skeppy notices the smoke in the air and he hurries to join his companions. Bad turns to him with a questioning look and Skeppy nods at the sight of the house.

“Yup, it’s his all right.”

They all pause and look at the log cabin that stands on its own, in the middle of the tundra, smoke coming out of the chimney. There is a small stable next to it, though it is empty at the moment. Techno probably still feels a bit afraid for Carl’s safety. There is also an entire other building, right next to the house. It must be the apiary Techno told him about, Skeppy thinks. Bees come in and out of the structure, buzzing calmly and seemingly unthreatened. 

All in all, the place looks warm and inviting, though lonely, and Skeppy doesn’t hesitate to take a step forward. Bad does.

“Skeppy,” he calls, reaching a hand forward, “Are you sure?” Skeppy tilts his head a little in confusion before he sees the way Bad’s other hand has found its place on Ranboo’s back. Skeppy shoves the jealous feeling down and mentally stomps over it until it is completely quiet. He knows he has always been possessive, but he cannot afford to feel this way now. Not when Bad is just trying to protect a kid.

“I’m sure,” he says, and he gives Bad an appeasing smile, “He’ll be fine.” His eyes move to Ranboo’s, meeting the red and green and noting the curiosity and uncertainty in them. “It’s gonna be okay,” he says, “Techno is intimidating but he is a big softie. You’ll see.”

Ranboo nods.

“I’ve seen him around,” he responds in a low voice – this is the first time he and Skeppy have really spoken, apart from the polite phrases they exchanged. Bad had been the one to share their plans with Ranboo, to sit down with him and try to figure out how much the kid knew and how much he ignored from his past. “He, ah- He likes attacking me.”

Bad stiffens completely and turns panicked eyes toward Skeppy. Skeppy looks back toward the log cabin while Ranboo tries correcting his mistakes.

“Not in a bad way!” the child says quickly, “More like- in a friendly way?”

“He attacks you in a friendly way?” Bad sounds a little hysterical and Skeppy knows that he has to step in.

“That’s kind of the way he shows affection,” he tries, “You remember me playing pranks on him, don’t you?”

Bad’s next ‘hrm’ is a semi-annoyed one. A ‘I can’t believe that you made me do this.’ But Skeppy knows that they’ve come too far, so Bad will at least have to hear Techno out.

“Come on,” he insists, and Bad does not protest. They start walking toward the house and their hands find each other again. Bad’s hand is warm; their fingers intertwine nicely. Skeppy looks up to see Ranboo observing them curiously and he gives him a smile. Ranboo hesitantly smiles back before looking away. He doesn’t seem like he likes eye-contact at all, Skeppy notices. This is a shame. He is so used to silent communication with Bad.

They’re not exactly communicating now, but Skeppy can still tell so much from the way Bad is walking a little faster, from the way his fingers are very lightly tapping against Skeppy’s knuckles, from the way he breathes a little more heavily. He is stressed. Skeppy presses his lips together. He hates the guilt that grows in his stomach at the thought that he is causing a lot of this. He brought the boy home, and he is the one who suggested they go to Technoblade.

“It’s gonna be okay,” he whispers to Bad. His friend hums in response. “I promise, Bad.”

Bad’s breath hitches and he almost misses his next step. They don’t ever make light of that word. Not with the weight it holds between them. Bad looks at him, and Skeppy meets the bright white eyes with a genuine smile.

“I promise,” he repeats. “You and me, okay? We keep him safe.”

Bad looks like he could start crying so Skeppy squeezes his hand reassuringly.

“Thanks, Geppy,” Bad mumbles, and Skeppy’s chest feels much warmer.

Maybe it isn’t that cold in the tundra, after all.

They stop in front of the snow cabin, and Bad lets go of Skeppy’s hand to go stand behind Ranboo. He looks protective, in an almost threatening manner. If Skeppy didn’t know him, if Skeppy didn’t trust Bad with his life, he would feel too intimidated to even look toward the child.

The door of the cabin opens and Skeppy holds his breath. He looks up to the mountain of a man that steps out of the house. The snow crunches under his feet and he is holding an axe. Even without it, though, it feels like the man would be able to crush someone with his bare hands, without breaking a sweat. He is beyond terrifying. 

Bad tenses and, out of the corner of his eye, Skeppy notices the way his friend’s hand moves toward his sword while the other grasps Ranboo’s shoulder.

Skeppy grins.

“Hey, Techno!” he greets excitedly, “Long time no see, dude!”

The Piglin smiles, revealing his tusks. He is so incredibly dangerous and lethal, and he is Skeppy’s closest friend besides Bad.

“Skeppy,” he greets in a drawl, “You’re still obnoxious.” Skeppy laughs loudly, proving his friend right.

“You’re still grumpy!” he responds immediately. “Come on, give me a hug!”

Techno gives him a blank stare.

“Hard pass,” he deadpans, and Skeppy pretends to whine in protest.

“Come onnn!” he insists, “I told Bad and Ranboo that we were friends! You’re going to make me look dumb!” Techno grins at the words.

“You don’t need me for that,” he comments, and Skeppy glares. Bad lets out a soft chuckle though, and that makes it all worth it. If it takes Skeppy being insulted for Bad to relax, Skeppy will take it.

“Right,” he says, “Techno, you know Bad, right?” – the Piglin nods, and he avoids looking at the demon. Skeppy isn’t certain what to do with that information but he adds it to the puzzle pieces about his best friend. “And Ranboo?” Techno shrugs.

“We’ve met,” he says, voice gruff. 

The kid smiles, uneasy but polite. Skeppy has noticed that of him: he always tries to be polite, not to upset people, even if it means getting upset himself. He'd refused to say anything about Bad fretting over him like a worried mother, even when Skeppy had commented that Bad must have been overwhelming him.

“We have,” Ranboo says, “You've tried to kill me a few times.” Bad gawks.

“He's what?” He turns to Skeppy, eyes wide, “Skeppy, he's what? Maybe this wasn't a-”

“In my defense,” Techno drawls, “He was part of the gang that tried to have me executed.”

Bad looks like he is going to have severe neck cramps from the way he keeps darting between the child and the Piglin. Ranboo lets out a small chuckle, a small “heh,” that has Skeppy relax a bit. The boy doesn't look too intimidated. He can't have messed up too bad. Even if Techno apparently tried to kill the kid because the kid tried to kill him.

That's not great. Bad can't be happy about that.

“That's true,” Ranboo concedes, “Not a great introduction.”

“Yeah, man,” Techno insists a little, “I was just taking care of my turtles. And you all tried to take Carl!”

“Carl?” Skeppy pipes up at the familiar name, “How is he?” Techno's red eyes dart to Ranboo's face and he stares for a second before responding:

“Safe.” He refuses to elaborate any more, and Skeppy sees Bad tenses a little behind Ranboo.

In all honesty, this could have gone better.

But it could have gone worse, so Skeppy chooses oblivious optimism.

“It's cold as hell,” he declares, ignoring Bad's call of ‘language!’, “Wanna let us in?”

Techno looks at all of them in silence. His eyes look from Skeppy to Ranboo and Bad. He avoids looking at Bad for too long though, and, again Skeppy decides that this is yet another mystery in the enigma that is Bad. They wait, breathless, as the Piglin stares at them. He huffs.

“Yeah, come in,” he says in a tired tone, “I don’t think Skeppy’s going to give me a choice anyway.” Skeppy chuckles and he doesn’t hesitate to move forward as Techno opens one of the doors to his cabin. He turns when he hears scuffling behind him and he meets Bad’s uncertain eyes.

“Bad,” he calls gently, “Bad. I promise, okay?” Bad’s eyes soften at the words and his grip on Ranboo’s shoulder loosens. The boy throws Skeppy a confused glance but Skeppy only has eyes for his best friend. “I promise,” he says again, “Come.”

Bad doesn’t respond but he gently pushes Ranboo forward. They move into the cabin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, Techno's here! Things are a bit tenser than we could have expected, but Skeppy's still got it! He will make Techno adopt Ranboo by force if he has to!
> 
> Also, for those who wonder: basically, Techno and Ranboo have had all the canon interactions up to Doomsday (and the change is that Phil never invited Ranboo to come live with them). So, to Techno, Ranboo is this random kid who showed up one day, tried to steal his horse, returned and gave him back his armor, and then spent a bunch of time hanging out with Tommy.
> 
> Excited to see what you all thought!! Thanks for reading :))


	6. Negotiating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I saved Carl,” Skeppy says.  
> “You did,” Techno responds carefully, “As a friend.” This sounds final, like he will not accept any argument. Skeppy knows better; he’s known Techno for years. He knows how he functions. He smiles and shakes his head.  
> “You kind of tricked me into it, dude,” he points out, though there’s no venom in the words, “But it still stands. I saved something of yours. I helped you keep it safe.”  
> Techno scrunches his nose, his eyes widening at the realization of what’s coming.  
> “No,” he says quickly, “Fuck no. I’m not a babysitter, Skeppy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Here is the next chapter, in which Bad and Skeppy try to convince the Anarchist Pig Man to adopt a child.   
> Hope y'all like it! I've been absolutely loving your comments! Thank you all so much :))
> 
> Oh, and we might see the hints of a winged man at the end :))
> 
> Enjoy!!

They move into the cabin. Skeppy lets the warm air hit his face before he turns to look around. This is visibly a storage room, half underground, all made out of clean stones. There’s not much to watch, so Skeppy turns back to Techno.

The Piglin is waiting at the entrance, and he just gestures wordlessly to the ladder that leads to the first floor. Skeppy doesn’t hesitate and climbs it, coming into the main part of the house. The fire is crackling in the chimney and there’s a kettle whistling over the stove. There are books carefully lined up on a shelf and a few potions stands under them. It is all very well organized and, somewhat, very homey.

“You’ve grown soft,” Skeppy calls to the downstairs, and he hears Techno let out another huff. He turns in time to see Bad and Ranboo climb up. His heart softens at the way Bad immediately reaches for Ranboo to help him get off the ladder, as if the kid was just a toddler rather than the adolescent he seems to be.

Techno comes up after them. He drops his crossbow on the couch, almost carelessly. Skeppy squints a little. Techno wants to pretend that the situation is not as tense and awkward as it is. He always does that. He watches as the Piglin moves to collect the kettle and carefully pours boiling water in four ceramic cups.

“Here,” he says gruffly, handing Skeppy a cup. He moves and hands one to Ranboo. If Techno flinches when he meets eyes with Bad, he certainly refuses to acknowledge it, and Bad does not raise it.

Strange.

Bad beams as he takes the cup, always polite, always smiling, and Skeppy’s heart melts a little.

“I don’t have much food,” Techno announces in ways of an apology, “I wasn’t expecting guests.” He glares at Skeppy at that, and Skeppy smirks at him.

“Come on, you’re so happy to see me!” Techno rolls his eyes and he sits on the couch, a clear invitation for them all to follow him.

“Ecstatic,” the Piglin deadpans and Skeppy laughs. He flops on the couch next to Techno and watches as Bad ushers Ranboo on the chair next to the chimney. The kid sits down, both hands surrounding the cup. Skeppy isn’t certain if it’s to warm his hands or to give himself something to do. He doesn’t ask. Bad doesn’t sit, he just stands by Ranboo’s side, in a position that seems practiced – like Bad spent hundreds of years doing exactly that.

They’re silent for a minute. Bad sips at the tea carefully before he gives Ranboo a nod and the kid dares to bring the cup to his lips. Did Bad just act as a taster or is Skeppy going crazy? He doesn’t ask. They listen to the fire cracking in the chimney.

“So-” Techno says, breaking the silence. His voice is a low rumble; it almost gets lost in the crackling of the logs. Skeppy tenses a little at the realization that they are going to explain the situation and talk to Techno. He looks at Bad and prays that he was right, that Techno will help them.

“So,” he says with a nervous laugh, “This is Ranboo.” Techno’s bored eyes flicker to the child. Ranboo gives him a timid smile.

“Yes,” the Piglin drawls, “So you’ve said.” He pauses and looks back to Skeppy. “What’s the idea, there?”

Skeppy swallows thickly and turns to Bad, whose hand is resting against Ranboo’s shoulder, a constant presence to remind the child that Bad will not allow harm to come to him. Skeppy wishes he knew how to tell the kid that, for as long as he is under Bad’s protection, he is under  _ their _ protection. He is not as good as Bad with meaningful gestures though. So he just watches. He meets Bad’s shining eyes and they converse silently. Bad is worried – wants to go back to the mansion, where Ranboo doesn’t have to face a man who could kill him with a twitch of his fingers. Skeppy wants to at least try. He opens his mouth to speak but Techno interrupts him:

“Hey, not to pry or anything but-” He points between Bad and Ranboo. “Are you two related or something?” Bad makes a small smile.

“Or something,” he responds. Techno doesn’t say anything and waits for Bad to elaborate. He doesn’t.

“Right,” Techno comments, his eyes not leaving Bad and Ranboo. “‘Or somethin'…’” He is thinking, trying to get the pieces of the puzzle, the same way Skeppy does. Tough luck, Skeppy has been doing so for years. “And I’m guessing the ‘something’ is related to your demon’s origin you won’t tell anyone about?”

Skeppy blinks a few times. He wasn’t aware that Techno and Bad knew each other. Not personally, at least. They’d seen each other before, in passing, because they were both Skeppy’s friends. But they didn’t know each other. Not enough for Techno to know something about  _ before _ . 

He looks to Bad and almost jumps at the sight of the silent snarl. He is so used to Bad’s beaming smile that he sometimes forgets about his friend’s sharp teeth and menacing look.

“Bad?” he calls worriedly.

“Don’t be too curious, Technoblade,” Bad says very slowly, his eyes not leaving Techno’s face. They look brighter than usual, and Skeppy would be afraid if he wasn’t so mesmerized. Bad looks so incredibly powerful, so incredibly threatening, and incredibly enthralling. He can’t take his eyes off him.

Techno chuckles nervously and it breaks the charm.

“Okay,” the Piglin laughs, and Skeppy turns to look at him. Techno looks paler than usual and he has a bead of sweat on his forehead. He wipes it away as soon as he notices Skeppy looking at it. “Okay. You don’t have to-” He gestures vaguely toward Bad, whose eyes are still shining like little suns. Ranboo looks petrified under him.

“Bad,” Skeppy calls a little more insistently, “Bad?”

Bad blinks a few times and his eyes move to Skeppy’s. It’s almost as if they were back to their first meeting, when Bad was lethal and Skeppy had to smile through the fear. Skeppy raises his hand in a non-threatening manner, eyes locked with Bad’s.

“Bad,” he calls again, firmly this time, “You’re scaring Ranboo.”

Bad starts to snap out of it.

“Skeppy?” Skeppy smiles softly, reassuringly, and he stands up and comes to his friend. He places a gentle hand on Bad’s shoulder, moves to press their foreheads together.

“Don’t leave,” he whispers. Bad relaxes and Skeppy knows that they’re fine. It’s become rare but sometimes, when Bad is reminded of  _ before _ , when he has spent too much time with Dream, when he’s looked too intently at the night sky, he almost loses himself. Skeppy is always there to catch him back, though. Just as Bad would be there to catch him. Bad cannot leave him. They’ve promised.

“Sorry…” Bad whispers, and Skeppy smiles in response. He detaches himself and meets Bad’s apologetic eyes. He smiles a little more in return, and they converse through eyes and smiles alone. They’re fine. Skeppy moves away, removes his hand from Bad’s shoulder. He stays by his friend’s side, though, a reassuring presence near him.

“Okay,” Techno speaks again – there’s a mix of confusion and amusement in his eyes, and Skeppy can tell that he will get cornered sooner or later and forced to answer questions. “I’m not asking about the demon stuff then.” He looks back to the kid. “What does he have to do with anythin'?” Skeppy opens his mouth to respond but Bad beats him to it.

“Everything.”

Ranboo looks up at him, surprised, and Skeppy briefly wonders how much Bad has told him. If he’s told him anything at all. Oh Gods, have they brought a completely clueless child to meet one of the most dangerous men in the land? Without giving him any explanations?

Techno’s smile stretches and there’s calculating light in his eyes.

“Everything?” he repeats, “And what do  _ I _ have to do with Mr. Everything here?” Bad looks down, seemingly searching for the right way to formulate their demand, so Skeppy takes over.

“I saved Carl,” he says. Techno’s eyes glint with something threatening now. Something mistrustful. Something that’s begging Skeppy not to continue where he thinks he is going.

“You did,” he responds carefully, “As a friend.” This sounds final, like Techno will not accept any argument. Skeppy knows better; he’s known Techno for years. He knows how he functions. He smiles and shakes his head.

“You kind of tricked me into it, dude,” he points out, though there’s no venom in the words, “But it still stands. I saved something of yours. I helped you keep it safe.”

Techno scrunches his nose, his eyes widening at the realization of what’s coming.

“No,” he says quickly, “Fuck no. I’m not a babysitter, Skeppy.” Skeppy smirks at the desperate tone. “Nope. You saved Carl  _ once _ . That does not entail babysitting duties as a compensation.” Skeppy goes to make a joke but Bad’s serious voice interrupts him:

“Don’t think of it as a compensation for something Skeppy did,” he says calmly, “Think of it as a favor the Badlands will owe you.” Techno’s eyes jump to Bad.

“A favor?” he repeats carefully, almost mistrustful of the word. Bad nods.

“A favor,” he confirms, “The Badlands want-” he stops himself, “I want Ranboo to be safe. I need him to be safe.”

“And you’ve got a lot of power behind you, don’t you?” Techno drawls, the calculating glint back in his eyes.

“I do,” Bad says, and there’s a small intelligent smile on his lips. Gods, does Skeppy love him. He almost forgets how serious the situation is, too focused on admiring how smart his best friend is. Techno clearly doesn’t though. He nods thoughtfully.

“What do I get in compensation?”

“The Badlands can keep you safe from L’Manberg.” 

Techno snorts. “L’Manberg’s gone. We made sure of it.” 

“It’s a big crater,” Skeppy comments helpfully, smirking at his friend, “Techno had to show off.”

Techno rolls his eyes. “It holds though,” he says, “L’Manberg’s no longer a threat.”

Bad bites his lip. “Well, the Badlands owe you, then.” He sighs. “ _ I _ owe you.” 

Techno looks up to the demon’s eyes, and Skeppy doesn’t like the interested look on the Piglin’s face.

“You owe me?” Skeppy doesn’t like that. He does not like that at all. Techno is smart - too smart - and the light in his eyes is too interested, too full of plans and calculations. He goes to interrupt but Bad beats him to it.

“I do,” he says, and his voice is firm and unwavering. “You keep him safe, and I’ll owe you a favor.” 

Techno smiles. “What do I protect him from, then?”

“Dream.” Techno’s smile drops.

“Excuse me, what?”

Skeppy takes that moment to step in.

“Dream,” he repeats, “You’ve beaten him. He respects you at the very least. Maybe fears you.” Techno hums a little, showing that he is listening. “You’re in the best position to protect Ranboo.” 

The Piglin’s eyes dart to the child again. Ranboo is looking around the room quietly, reading the books titles, pretending not to listen to their conversation, though his ears perk up and down as they discuss.

“Why?” Techno says slowly, “Why does Dream want him?” Skeppy looks to Bad but it is clear that his best friend doesn’t want to share that information.

“Fuck if I know,” he says with a smile. “Bad’s worried about it, so I thought of coming to you.” Techno hums and turns back to the demon, who shrugs.

“Not giving any more info,” he warns, and the Piglin nods, a hint of fear in his eyes. Bad seems to regret the harshness of his tone and he continues: “I don’t want to endanger him.” Techno looks thoughtful before he nods.

“So what do I do?” he asks, “I keep him safe from Dream for how long? I can’t do it forever.” Skeppy turns to Bad. He hadn’t thought of that, actually. He was so focused on finding a way to reassure Bad in the moment that he hadn’t thought to make any long-term plan. Bad did, apparently, because he gives Techno a cold smile.

“Until I’ve dealt with the problem.” 

Techno blinks and lets out a chuckle.

“You sound like you’re going to kill him.” 

Bad shakes his head. “It won’t be necessary.” Skeppy lets out a relieved breath before Bad continues: “Probably.” 

Shit. Shit. Are they going after a God to protect the kid?

Skeppy wasn’t ready for that, didn’t know that it was this serious, hadn’t signed up for that.

And yet. And yet, he had.

Skeppy knows he can’t lie to himself and he knows that he has signed up for  _ everything _ the day he decided to let Bad into his life. The day he looked at the demon’s eyes and thought that he would follow him to the end of the world.

If Bad wants to go after a God, Skeppy will be by his side as they defy him.

“Yeah,” he says with an unassured smile, “Probably. We’ll just talk to him.” Bad’s eyes shine a little – almost threateningly – and Skeppy feels apprehensive of that  _ talk _ .

But again, he trusts Bad, and if Bad thinks that they need to go after Dream, then Skeppy will be right behind him.

Also, he has his own reasons to want to punch the God in the face. And that includes apparently  _ kidnapping _ Bad.

“Okay,” Techno says, interrupting Skeppy’s thoughts, “You deal with Dream however ominously you want. I watch the kid. That’s it?”

Bad smiles. It’s a gentler smile, almost the smile he presents to the public. Almost the smile when he gets muffins or when Skeppy decides not to prank him.

“Yes,” he smiles, “That’s it.” 

Techno nods. “What about Phil?” Skeppy frowns.

“Phil?” Is Phil here? Is that where he disappeared to, after he killed his own son? Has he been simply hanging out with Techno all this time?

“Yeah,” Techno says, and he raises his voice. “Hey, Phil! Come down!” There’s movement upstairs. Why hadn’t Skeppy noticed another presence in the house? On the corner of his eye, he sees Bad’s hand brush the hilt of his sword.

They hear a yawn and a bristle of feathers and suddenly there’s a man in front of them. He smiles, kind and warm.

“Heya mates,” he says, “I don’t think we’ve met?”

Skeppy cannot pay attention to the greeting because he is trying to figure out how the man suddenly appeared in front of them. And why he has gigantic wings on his back. 

He looks to Bad and sees a hollow look on his best friend’s face. He looks almost afraid, like he has seen a ghost. This is the second time in a few days that Bad looks like this, like  _ before _ is chasing after him, tracking him down, reminding him of a past he so carefully forgot.

“You know him?” Skeppy asks in a murmur, going to grab Bad’s hand to ground him. Bad shakes his head and his fingers grip Skeppy’s tightly, almost painfully. Bad doesn’t take his eyes away from the man’s face. Wait, no. He isn’t looking at the man’s face. He is looking at his wings. “Bad?”

Bad’s eyes are wide open and he almost doesn’t acknowledge Skeppy’s words.

“Where did you get them?” he asks. “Where are they from?” Phil looks confused. He furrows his eyebrows and reaches to touch the feathers on his back.

“Them? My wings?” he asks, “It’s a long story, mate, but I-” Bad shakes his head and he lets out a low ‘hrm.’ It’s the sound that warns Skeppy that Bad is truly annoyed, that he won’t take excuses or even long stories. That he wants an answer, now.

“Where?” he repeats in a hiss.

Phil opens his mouth. Closes it. His eyes are looking past them and toward the end of the room. Skeppy turns to see what just shocked the man.

Ranboo’s looking at them, red and green eyes wide in confusion. He stares at Phil and there’s a hint of recognition on his face – something that Skeppy has barely seen with how much the memory issue seems to be affecting the boy. But Phil? He seems to remind Ranboo of something.

And, judging by Phil’s shell-shocked expression, Ranboo reminds him of something too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Four out of four prospective dads acquired! Now, we just need them to become Dads. 
> 
> I'm super excited to see what y'all thought of this chapter! 
> 
> Next one will be a look at Phil's perspective! And we might even get some answers as to how Ranboo got to the Overworld, and how much he remembers.
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading!


	7. A Father and an Orphan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The red and green eyes blink slowly at him, and Phil blinks back without thinking. The child gains a smile, and he chirps again. He seems more talkative than he had been, more excited. Phil wonders if he is the first person the child has seen in years.  
> “Hey mate,” he says again, “I’m sorry, I really can’t stay. I’ve got to go through this portal, and…” He shrugs. He isn’t certain what he needs to do for Wilbur. He just knows he has to be there. “My son needs me.”  
> The child tilts his head and lets out another chirp. Phil smiles at him.  
> “I’ll be back, okay?” he says. He doesn’t know if it’s true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!
> 
> I am so excited to see y'all's reactions to this chapter! Here, we get a bit of Phil's perspective and we learn about his link to the End. In the middle, we also hear from Ranboo - this should answer a lot of questions as to what happened to him and how much he remembers! As I said, I'm very excited about this chapter! As some of y'all know, I really really enjoy writing Phil, so this was a very fun one!
> 
> Enjoy!!

Phil loves the End.

It’s very different from the Overworld, obviously, and he knows that he won’t spend his life there, but it is lovely, in its own way. It’s silent and yet so full of life. The End cities are full of a technology that the Overworld never reached. Phil writes it all down in his travelling diaries. He makes plans, he collects material. He thrives.

He will have to go back home, eventually, he knows it. He cannot call the End his permanent home forever. He misses his sons, and he misses his best friend.

But for now, he lives in the End. He goes back to the Overworld ever so often, to his house, but it feels empty without Will and Tommy there. They’ve left a few years ago, both seeking to discover the world, the same way Phil had. They are his sons all right. They left a hole when they departed, but Phil understands.

He’s never been the greatest father figure. He’s never been able to control his own wanderlust, and he’s left them too often to quench his thirst for travel. It hasn’t been fair to them, Phil knows, to have to rely on Techno to take care of them when their father was away, discovering another continent or another dimension.

He loves them, though. More than he does the End. But he cannot control his thirst for voyages and discovery. It would make him miserable not to, and he knows that they don’t want him to be miserable.

Maybe them leaving had been for the best. He doesn’t have anyone to come back home to, no one waiting on him to pass the portal, eyes full of concern or anger, depending on the day. Wilbur hadn’t liked it when he’d leave for too long. It was unfair to them, he would say. It was cruel. Cruel to make them love him this much, to make them count on him, to make them depend on him, and then to leave them all alone.

Phil doesn’t like thinking about these things.

He’s been fascinated by the End for so long. Even when Tommy was just a toddler, crawling on the floor behind Wilbur, already inseparable from his brother, Phil had known the End. He’d felt its calling. No one had been there before; he’d known it the moment he stepped foot in the dimension. It was an unexplored wonderland that was for Phil’s eyes alone. He’d travelled through cities, explored the deserted lands, tasted the fruits that only grew there. He’d met with Endermen and learned to respect them and cohabit with them. He’d encountered shulkers and exchanged Overworld resources against a beautiful set of wings. He’d started building projects, he’d made a house, a safe place, in what once was a dead wasteland. He’d grown an Empire that was his and his alone.

After each day of work, he’d looked up to the starless sky and thought about his boys, back home. He’d wondered if it was nighttime, back on the Overworld, and he’d wondered if they were watching the stars.

Oftentimes, when the End was too quiet, Phil would place his hand on the ground and listen to the heart of the End beating all at once.

And one day it had stopped.

The End had screamed in silence, and Phil had been petrified.

He had come home that day, back to the Overworld, and he had sobbed on the couch for hours. Wilbur, young Wilbur, not more than fifteen at the time, had stood near him, confused and afraid, unsure how to comfort his father. Phil hadn’t known either. He couldn’t explain to Will why he felt the need to grieve something or someone he didn’t know.

He hadn’t been back to the End for months after that. He was too afraid of the silence.

Wilbur had been ecstatic, having his dad back to himself for hours on end. Phil had taught him to build houses and to chase small monsters. They’d gone on expeditions to the jungle and to the sea, and Techno had joined them sometimes. Phil had played with Tommy, bonded with his youngest son, learned to love his laugh and his smile, and his mischievous expressions.

And then the wanderlust had come back.

Phil had ignored Tommy’s cries, Wilbur’s pleading words, and Techno’s disapproving look, and he had gone back through the portal.

The End was still eerily silent, and Phil hadn’t known if he could learn to love it again. He’d travelled for days, trying to understand the gaping hole in his chest, trying to understand what it was that was missing. What it was whose disappearance had plunged the End into silence.

And one day, he’d found it. He’d stared at the carcass of a gigantic mythological beast, and he’d wondered how he had never seen her before. How he had lived in the dimension for years without understanding that she was keeping it alive. He’d moved reverently toward her resting body and he’d placed a hand on the black scales. It was as cold as the End was silent, and Phil had felt a profound loss. He had thought of leaving, of going back to his sons, and of never coming back.

And then he’d heard shuffling behind a gigantic black pillar. He had averted his eyes, used to the respectful gesture he’d learned from the Endermen, but the thing hadn’t moved, hadn’t chirped at him in the way the black creatures usually did. It had stayed, immobile, and Phil had felt eyes on him. He had hesitated for a very long time before looking up to the creature that was observing him.

Red and green eyes had met his, and he had tensed, readying himself for combat.

But the creature hadn’t moved, hadn’t even flinched; it had just stared at him curiously, blinking slowly.

Endermen don’t blink.

Endermen don’t look like curious children who have been awakened from a nap.

The thing – the child – couldn’t have been much older than Tommy. He looked taller and lankier, but the youth in his eyes was not something Phil could overlook. He’d almost called to him, almost reached out his arms to invite the child to follow him.

But he’d thought of the anger in Wilbur’s eyes when he had left, and he thought of Tommy’s tears, and he reminded himself that he couldn’t disappoint another child.

The child had blinked at him, very slowly, and Phil had blinked back.

There had been a certain sense of understanding between them, and then the child had disappeared behind a column. Phil hadn’t looked for him.

He is back there, years after. He looks at the body of the dragon that had once ruled the dimension. She looks peaceful in her eternal slumber. Her corpse hasn’t changed, hasn’t spoiled, hasn’t undergone the transformation humans do. He wonders why he thought that she would change. She was a Goddess, and Gods are eternal. She might be asleep forever, but she is still there, in the world she used to rule.

Phil doesn’t stop too long though. He doesn’t have the time to pay her the respects she deserves. His sons need him. Wilbur, in particular, needs him. Phil doesn’t know how he knows it, why he knows it, but he knows that he has to travel through the portal and meet his son. His heart is screaming in his chest. The same way he had heard the calling from the End, he hears the calling from his son.

He knows he has to go back to the Overworld.

He has never taken this portal, never dared to look too carefully at it. He had seen it briefly upon meeting with the child, but he had never come back for it. This curiosity had not been one he had been willing to sate. Something bad had happened near the portal; he had felt it. He had run away from it.

He looks at the portal now, at the black silky magic that he is about to go through. It will lead him to Wilbur. He knows it.

He spreads his wings – the wings he earned from this world, the wings that set him free, the same way the End had – and he takes a step toward the portal.

There is movement behind him.

He freezes and he turns back. There are two eyes staring at him.

Red and green.

“Hey,” he says very softly, and the child chirps at him.

He looks much older than he had, a few years ago. Phil wonders if Tommy looks as old, if Tommy has also undergone this growth, if he has also lost the baby fat in his cheeks. His heart constricts with the pain of missing his children so much.

How has he gone years without visiting them? Without checking on them?

The red and green eyes blink slowly at him, and Phil blinks back without thinking. The child gains a smile, and he chirps again. He seems more talkative than he had been, more excited. Phil wonders if he is the first person the child has seen in years.

“Hey mate,” he says again, “I’m sorry, I really can’t stay. I’ve got to go through this portal, and…” He shrugs. He isn’t certain what he needs to do for Wilbur. He just knows he has to be there. “My son needs me.”

The child tilts his head and lets out another chirp. Phil smiles at him.

“I’ll be back, okay?” he says. He doesn’t know if it’s true. He doesn’t know if this portal is two-way, like his portal back home, the one that links directly to an End city. He doesn't know if he will be stuck once he goes through. He’s heard of one-way portals, of the despair of people losing their family members forever, to a misplaced Nether portal, and so he had promised himself never to play this game. Never to risk not being able to go home.

But Will is on the other side of the portal, and Will is his home. They all are.

The child makes a humming sound and watches carefully as Phil deploys his wings. Phil smiles at him one last time and goes through the portal.

* * *

Ranboo doesn’t care much for the End.

He thinks that, once upon a time, he has loved it. He thinks so, because there’s something in his heart that screams that he does, that he is attached to this land, that it means  _ something  _ to him.

Ranboo doesn’t remember.

The End is a prison, it is a lonely, silent realm. His island is even more so. It is eerie, it is quiet, it is dead. Ranboo walks through it every day. He passes the black towers; he presses his hand to the structure and listens to the silence in the stone.

He visits the Mother every night. He stares at her giant body and ignores the hole in his chest. The Others group around him and they chirp in her direction. It’s a long lament that they sing for hours. Ranboo doesn’t know why. He doesn't know who she is. He doesn’t know why he misses her.

He doesn’t know  _ who _ he misses.

There’s another gaping hole in his chest. There’s someone else he is missing. Ranboo thinks that it has something to do with the knowledge that he has to stay on this island. He knows he has to. He knows he can’t leave.

He is waiting for someone, for someone who promised that they would be back for him.

He has waited for years.

He has stayed, unmoving, waiting for them.

He has stood under the purple unblinking eyes of the Others. He has waited. Waited and waited and waited and waited and waited.

He doesn’t know why he waits anymore.

He doesn’t know what he is waiting for.

His world is void of anything but the silence of the void and the islands, the coldness of the towers, the laments of the Others, and their unblinking eyes.

He doesn’t think there is anything else in the world.

He doesn’t remember.

Is there anything else?

He doesn’t think so, he doesn’t think there is anything beyond the silence and the purple eyes.

That is, until the human comes.

His presence awakens something in Ranboo. There is something that happened, years ago, that Ranboo cannot remember, but he knows that he’s seen the concerned blue eyes before. He stares at them and tries to remember. He’s never seen this color before, and yet. Yet he has. He knows he has.

The human blinks at him, slowly, unthreateningly.

The Others do not blink.

Ranboo blinks back and the human says something. Greets him, maybe. Ranboo chirps a reply. He doesn’t remember ever hearing the language – ever communicating with anyone besides the Others – but he understands when the human speaks.

The human tells him of his son needing him. Ranboo stares and he wonders where he has heard this care and this concern before. He wonders why he feels this painful longing in his chest, why he wants  _ someone _ to come back for him.

He’s never known anyone who would come get him.

He doesn’t remember.

The human talks about needing to go, he promises to come back. Ranboo feels another gaping hole open in his stomach. It threatens to swallow him whole. He’s heard those words before, and they are bad. They are lies. Nobody ever comes back.

Nobody can come back.

Nobody has ever been here.

He doesn’t remember.

The human smiles at him and Ranboo feels pure panic surrounding him. He hums to calm himself and the human takes a step back. Another one. He spreads his wings and Ranboo  _ longs _ for something he doesn’t remember.

He knows those wings, he knows someone who has some like them, he knows someone who used to carry him on his back with it. He knows a smile and a laugh in the air.

He  _ yearns _ .

The human goes through the portal. He disappears.

Ranboo knows that he is meant to wait. He doesn’t know why, he doesn’t know how long, he doesn’t know what for, but he knows he is supposed to wait.

He doesn’t.

He walks to the portal and frees himself from the End.

* * *

Phil gapes at the child like he’s seen a ghost, and he barely feels the hand Techno puts on his shoulder. He doesn’t hear his best friend’s low voice calling his name worriedly.

He only sees the green and red eyes staring back at him.

He blinks slowly. The child blinks back.

He is transported back a few months earlier, to the center of a silent dimension. He almost feels the body of the dragon watching over them. He notices the plea in the child’s eyes, the plea he had ignored when all he could think about was Wilbur’s safety.

Has he abandoned this child in the End dimension, to go save his son from himself?

Has he left the child with the carcass of the dragon and the Endermen as sole companions? How long has the kid been alone? How long has he been here, in the Overworld?

“Phil?”

It’s Techno’s voice. Techno who presses solid hands on his shoulders, who calmly tries to ground him back into reality. Phil lets out a shuddering breath.

“I know you,” he says slowly, his eyes not leaving the child’s. He barely notices the way Bad moves, until the demon is in front of him, separating him from the kid, acting as a physical barrier between them.

“Don’t touch him. Don't hurt him” he hisses, and Phil raises his hands in a surrendering motion.

“I won’t,” he promises quickly, “I wouldn’t think of it.” Bad narrows his eyes and doesn’t move, but his shoulders fall ever so slightly. On the corner of his eye, Phil notices Skeppy stepping forward. He whispers words to Bad and the glowing white eyes look a bit calmer, a bit more appeased. Phil just stands there, Techno’s hands on his shoulders.

“I know you, too.” They all freeze and turn to the source of the voice. It’s the kid, looking uncertain of his right to speak and yet deeply certain of words. “I remember you.”

Bad moves quickly to be by the child’s side. He kneels near him to stare at his face from below, as if he were expecting to talk to a small toddler rather than the lanky teenager in front of him. He stays in this position, though, looking up to the child.

“You remember him?” he asks, “From before you came? Did he take you?” He takes in a deep breath. “Ranboo, this is very important. Did he force you through the portal?”

There’s pain in his voice, as if the words were deeply personal, were a truth that Bad had never forced out before. Skeppy visibly tenses as if he could sense that truth too.

The kid – Ranboo – shakes his head.

“No,” he says carefully, “No, I don’t think so. He had something else to do. He had somewhere to go.” He frowns, as if he were forcing himself to remember. “Your son?” he asks, and Phil nods his head. He ignores the stabbing sensation in his chest at the memory of the day he went to save Wilbur.

The day he saved Wilbur from himself.

“You went to the End?” Bad says, eyes completely wide. He seems like he cannot breathe anymore, and Skeppy looks panicked and unsure what to do.

“Bad,” he calls softly, but the demon ignores him.

“You went there?” he asks hurriedly, “Can you go back? Can you show me?” Phil opens his mouth to answer but Skeppy doesn’t give him the time to pronounce a word.

“Bad!” he calls again – he sounds a bit scared this time, upset maybe, though Phil isn’t sure why – and the demon immediately looks to him. “Bad, please.” It is a plea, but it is also a demand.

Bad nods slowly and he stands up and moves to rest his forehead against Skeppy’s, for just a moment. 

“I promise,” he whispers in a voice so low that Phil knows they aren’t meant to hear it. Skeppy relaxes against his friend. They stand against each other like this in silence, and Phil turns his attention back to the child.

Ranboo is still looking at him, with the same curiosity in his eyes as the first time Phil met him, years ago, right after the dragon died.

“Hey,” he says very gently, the same way he had at the time, when it was only him and the kid, and the hundreds of unblinking eyes.

“Hey,” the child says.

“My name’s Phil.” Ranboo smiles.

“I know,” he chuckles, “I heard Techno scream it. I’m Ranboo.” Phil smiles at him. He remembers the guilt he’d felt when the child had chirped at him for the first time and Phil had decided to leave him behind. He remembers his hurry the second time they had met, his inability to stay and talk to him. He had felt the need to bring the child home, but he had pushed it away, twice. 

It seems that Ranboo came home anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I dumped a ton of info on y'all, didn't I?
> 
> So, to answer some questions that I saw in the past chapter:  
> I come from the idea that there are several strongholds. Phil's stronghold, the one he has been using to go between his house and the End, is a pretty secret one, that no one knows of. In my mind, Phil's past, with Will, Tommy, and Techno, was very very far from the Dream SMP land, so the portal is now pretty inaccessible (just because of sheer distance). The portal that Dream used is the one we know of, on the Dream SMP lands.   
> We will also end up discussing this more on a later chapter, but I pretty much went in with the idea that end portals work very similarly to Nether portals: while you may seal it (i.e. destroy it) in one direction, the other end still allows you to come through, as long as that end of the portal is still functioning. In other words, Dream has prevented anyone from going from the Overworld to the End, but you can still leave the End and reach the Overworld. This is what both Ranboo and Phil did.   
> Hope that makes sense!!
> 
> I'm super excited to hear what you all thought!! Phil did not, in fact, kidnap Ranboo. Ranboo just looked at him and demanded to be adopted lol. And, as many of y'all already predicted, Ranboo doesn't remember Bad. He somehow feels like he can trust him, but he does not remember his past with Bad, his relationship to him, or even his relationship to the Mother, for that matter.
> 
> Again, can't hear about your thoughts :))
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	8. Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their hands aren't touching and Skeppy feels so incredibly cold. The tundra isn't that cold, Skeppy knows it. He is cold inside.  
> Bad's hand has tried to grab his several times. It's come shyly, gently brushing the palm of Skeppy's hand. And every time, Skeppy has slapped it away, chased it away the same way he did his sadness.  
> He doesn't want to be sad. He is angry. Betrayed. Bad wants to leave. He wants to leave the Overworld; he wants to leave him. Skeppy is angry.  
> Bad is silent and unsure.  
> So they walk silently through the snow, and Skeppy tries not to think about their laugh when they'd done the trip earlier, with Ranboo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!
> 
> Here is our next chapter, with a return to Skeppy's POV for the first half, and some flashback and Bad POV on the second half! I had a lot of fun with that aspect of worldbuilding too!
> 
> Enjoy!!

Bad might want to leave.

He has asked about going back to  _ before _ . Apparently,  _ before _ is the End. It's ironic, because  _ before _ should be the Beginning. The after, the present, Bad living with Skeppy and them being inseparable, that should be the End. Also, the End is a stupid name.

Skeppy doesn't care about names anyway. What he cares about is that his best friend is thinking about leaving.

He is terrified, angry, and oh so sad.

They left Techno's cabin a few hours ago. Bad had fretted over Ranboo for so long, blabbering reassurances to the child and recommendations to Phil and Techno. He'd demanded that they contact him at the first sign of danger and then turned to look at the child and assured him that he was safe with the two men. Eventually, Techno had had enough, and he had all but shoved them outside.

And now they're walking.

In silence.

Their hands aren't touching and Skeppy feels so incredibly cold. The tundra isn't that cold, Skeppy knows it. He is cold inside.

Bad's hand has tried to grab his several times. It's come shyly, gently brushing the palm of Skeppy's hand. And every time, Skeppy has slapped it away, chased it away the same way he did his sadness.

He doesn't want to be sad. He is angry. Betrayed. Bad wants to leave. He wants to leave the Overworld; he wants to leave  _ him _ . Skeppy is angry.

Bad is silent and unsure.

So they walk silently through the snow, and Skeppy tries not to think about their laugh when they'd done the trip earlier, with Ranboo.

Ranboo’s gone, he is safe with Phil and Techno. He is gone, and so is the joy Bad and Skeppy had shared as they had walked him there. Skeppy clenches and unclenches his fists, and he glares at the snow and at the trees and at the wild dogs hiding by the entrance of the forest. Normally Bad should be cooing at them, trying to convince Skeppy to stop so that they may pet them, but Bad is being abnormally silent.

Skeppy doesn’t think he would be able to take it if Bad pretended to care about the dogs, though. There’s a world of Unsaid weighting above them. It’s like the Sword of Damocles that has been threatening them for years with everything Bad refused to say and everything Skeppy didn’t ask is finally falling down. They are both going to get hurt.

“Skeppy-” Bad tries once they’ve passed the forest. Skeppy freezes and he clenches his jaw.

“Don’t.”

“But-”

“Don’t.”

Bad flinches and looks down and Skeppy wishes he could feel some form of vindicated joy at having forced him to feel a thousandth of the pain he is currently feeling. But he just feels guilty. He feels worse now. Not only is he in pain, but he has also made Bad sad.

He feels like shit.

They keep walking and they don’t speak. Skeppy looks as the sun moves through the sky, slowly reaching the horizon. They might have to stop and camp for the night. He doesn’t think they’ll make it home before the monsters start coming out.

Usually, he would be ecstatic about the prospect of camping with Bad, of looking at the stars together, of laughing next to the fire camp. Now, though? He dreads it.

It is inevitable, though, and Bad eventually speaks again, his voice low and hesitant:

“We need to stop, Skeppy,” he says as gently and pacifically as he can, “They’re going to start coming out.” Skeppy glares at the ground.

“And what?” he asks, “You’re scared of a little skeleton? Didn’t have them in the End, then?” Bad flinches and he looks away.

“You’re being unfair, Skeppy…” he says. There’s a plea in his voice, for Skeppy not to start this. Not here, not now.

Usually, Skeppy cannot say no to Bad. But tonight, he is too mad.

“I’m being unfair?” he repeats, his voice going up and most likely informing all of the monsters of their location, “I’m being unfair, Bad?” Bad takes a step back and, when Skeppy looks up to him, he catches the horrified expression on his best friend’s face. It makes Skeppy rethink his want to scream at him.

“That’s not what I meant, I-”

“No.” Skeppy says. His voice is final. He doesn’t want to argue with Bad. But he doesn’t want to reassure him, or take him in his arms, or- He shoves the need down.

“Skeppy-”

“No.” Skeppy repeats and he walks away. “I’m getting firewood,” he calls over his shoulder. “You prepare a tent.”

He doesn’t wait for a reply.

* * *

The fire is warm against his face. The flames dance on the ground and Skeppy stares at them because he refuses to look away. If he does, if he joins Bad in the small nest of fabric he has made, he will need to acknowledge feelings. He will need to acknowledge feeling hurt and betrayed instead of simply angry.

The heat is starting to hurt his eyes; it dries them up until it would be impossible for Skeppy to cry, even if he wanted to.

He thinks he would anyway.

Bad is moving around behind him, but Skeppy refuses to look at him. Bad wants to leave. He wants to go back to the End. He asked Phil about it. He hadn’t even looked in Skeppy’s direction and he had asked Phil if there was a mean to go back.

He hadn’t considered Skeppy and the home they had made.

Skeppy buries his head in his hands and he tries to gulp down the lump that has formed in his throat, that is preventing him from breathing correctly.

Bad wants to go home, but his home isn’t the one Skeppy has offered him.

Skeppy wants to cry. He wants to scream. He wants to go to Bad and hug him and make him take all the hurt away.

He doesn’t do any of that. He stays by the fire and he pretends that his shoulders aren’t shaking with dry sobs.

Finally, after what seems like hours, Skeppy hears Bad’s voice.

“I’m sorry…” Skeppy looks up, dries his eyes on his sleeve. Bad is looking at him from the small cot. He looks so small, so incredibly distraught and sad and concerned for Skeppy. Skeppy wants to hug him as much as he wants to scream at him. More.

“Yeah,” Skeppy responds, because he cannot tell Bad that it’s okay. It’s not. Skeppy thought that they had something. He thought that they had a home, one they made together, one where they were both happy. He thought that Bad would never leave.

So what if Bad sometimes looked up to the black sky with a longing expression? At the end of the day, Skeppy was his constant. He was the person Bad came back to every night. He was his End.

Or at least Skeppy had thought so.

“Really,” Bad says softly. His voice is a little too high-pitched to be normal and Skeppy notices that Bad’s eyes are a little puffy. “I didn’t mean it.”

Skeppy laughs mirthlessly and he shakes his head. He looks away from Bad and back to the fire.

“You don’t have to lie,” he spits bitterly, “You don’t have to spare my feelings, Bad. I understand.” He doesn’t. He really doesn’t. Bad is his home, his end, the only person that makes him feel safe and happy and  _ home _ . He never imagined that Bad could feel differently.

“I’m not,” Bad says – pleads, “Skeppy, I’m…”

“It’s fine!” Skeppy interrupts him. He tries to make his voice sound light and relaxed but he knows Bad can hear the pain and the anger in his voice. He’s never been good at lying to him, besides the pranks he plays on him. And even with the pranks, Skeppy is almost certain that Bad just indulges him most of the time. “It’s fine. I understand. You asked him about it, you clearly- You want to go home.”

“You’re my home!” Bad explodes, “Skeppy, I’m not leaving! I’m not leaving you!” Skeppy’s eyes snap back to his best friend. Bad’s about to cry, he can tell by the way his lower lip is quivering just a little bit and his thumb is tapping against his index finger in a grounding gesture.

“But you asked him-”

“I know what I asked him,” Bad says – begs – “I didn’t think- I just… He spoke of the End, and I saw the possibility and I- I didn’t think.” He bits his lip deeply before turning his eyes back to Skeppy. They’re genuine, so full of regret, and guilt, and grief. Skeppy forgets how to breathe. “I wouldn’t have done it,” Bad continues, “I wouldn’t have left, Skeppy. Not without you. Never without you.”

Skeppy stops fighting the tears. They roll down on his cheeks, and he sees the way Bad’s face morphs from guilt to concern and pure care. The demon takes a step forward.

“Geppy…” he calls slowly. Skeppy sniffs and he doesn’t allow himself to look away from Bad’s kind eyes.

“Do you promise?” he asks. Bad stops in his movements and there’s a hint of surprise in his eyes before it’s replaced by determination. He continues walking forward, until they’re right in front of each other. Skeppy doesn’t look away from Bad’s glowing white eyes but he feels the demon’s hands come to gently cup his face.

“I promise,” Bad says, and there is so much kindness and certainty in his tone that Skeppy stops crying. Bad smiles at him solemnly and he whispers words in a guttural tongue – the very same words he had pronounced years ago, when they’d found themselves in the same position, staring at each other, and  _ promising. _

Skeppy sees in Bad’s eyes that he is reliving the memory too.

* * *

Bad hates the Overworld. He does.

He hates the blue sky and the clouds, and the green grass, and the rain, and the constant noise of the winds and the birds. He hates the humans that populate it because they remind him of the Hunters that took him from his home.

But there’s one thing about the Overworld that Bad doesn’t hate: Skeppy.

He loves Skeppy.

He loves his blue eyes, and his mischievous smile, and his laugh, and the way his arms wrap around him and keep him safe, and the way Skeppy never lets the room be quiet, never lets Bad lose himself in the silence of the End. He loves Skeppy with a passion – loves him so much that it makes him love the Overworld.

And perhaps he starts loving the blue sky because it’s the same as Skeppy’s eyes. Perhaps he starts loving the green grass, because he and Skeppy like laying in it during lazy afternoons. Perhaps he starts loving the rain because Skeppy makes warm drinks and they bake muffins together. Perhaps he starts loving the winds and the birds, because they match Skeppy’s constant chatter.

Perhaps he even starts loving the humans, because they live in the same world as Skeppy. They made Skeppy who he is, the gentle mischievous man he is, and so perhaps they are not so terrible. Perhaps Bad can learn to love them.

He knows he will.

Skeppy is helping him grieve for a world he can never return to. Without knowing it, he is also helping him mourn the loss of his charge, of his boy, of the prince of his people, whom he was supposed to keep safe.

Bad still wakes up screaming and crying and begging for forgiveness, but at least Skeppy is here. Skeppy is here to gently shush him and hold him to his chest, safe and warm, until Bad’s sobs subside.

Bad will never forget the End, he will never forgive the Hunters for taking him away, but he thinks that he can learn to live with the gaping hole in his chest.

For as long as he has Skeppy, for as long as he has his best friend, everything will be okay.

He believes it so much that he makes a pact with Skeppy.

He feels a twinge of pain at the thought that this Ancient magic is normally reserved for royalty. It is a deep secret spell that links the soul of a monarch to that of their sworn protector. Bad is meant to attach himself to Ranboo, and no one else, but the Hunters came before the Prince had come of age, and they had ripped Bad away from his charge before he could protest, before he could officially become Ranboo’s.

And now Ranboo is gone, Bad is sure of it. The young prince would never survive in the End dimension. Not without the Mother, who controlled the Endermen’s hive mind, and not without Bad, who had sworn to keep the prince safe.

Bad wishes that he had linked their souls together before it was permitted, before it was too late. At least, he would have known the moment Ranboo passed away. He would have felt cold, and calm, and like his mission had finally come to an end. And he would have retreated to a quiet, isolated location, and he would have let himself fall into an eternal slumber.

Demons are immortal, but once their charge dies, they have no more need to exist.

Bad is immortal, though, because he doesn’t have a charge. Not anymore. He never got the opportunity – the chance – to officially become Ranboo’s protector.

He died inside when he was separated from Ranboo, but the lack of link forbade him from letting himself die physically.

And then Skeppy had come in, with his laughing blue eyes and his constant pranks, and he had brought Bad back from the dead. Back from the rage and the grief. He had patiently taught him about the Overworld, and he had tenderly reminded him of other emotions than sadness and anger. Bad had laughed for the first time in years in Skeppy’s presence, and that’s when he had decided that he couldn’t take another loss.

He had been ripped away from Ranboo, and the loss had almost broken him.

He can’t lose Skeppy.

That’s what he whispers to his best friend. In much less details, of course, because everything still hurts so much, and Bad doesn’t want Skeppy to know about his past, about the way he had failed to protect his charge. But still, he tells him of the Ancient magic, and he tells him of souls being linked for eternity.

“So you- That means you can die?” Skeppy asks carefully. He looks a little unsure, a little panicked. Bad shrugs.

“If you do,” he responds, “If you leave this world and pass onto the next one, then I follow you.” Skeppy blinks.

“You follow me,” he repeats, stunned. It is a weird way to discuss death, Bad knows it, but that’s the way he has been taught. Demons don’t die, they simply follow their charge wherever they go. Their souls follow each other.

“I do,” Bad says gently, “Wherever you go, I follow.” Skeppy closes his eyes and shakes his head. It seems like it’s too much for him, too much responsibility, too much love and trust that is being forced onto him. They’ve talked about it before, of course, but now they’re actually about to do it. Skeppy seems overwhelmed, scared of the implications of this all, and Bad is terrified that he is going to call the whole thing off.

“What if I get into an accident?” he asks again, “What if I die tomorrow, Bad?”

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” Bad promises in a solemn voice.

“But-”

“But if it does, I’ll follow you. We’ll be together.” Skeppy shudders and Bad reaches a concerned hand. Skeppy avoids it and shakes his head again.

“Don’t-” he begs, “If you touch me, if I look at you- Bad I won’t be able to say no.” Bad doesn’t want him to say no. He tells him so:

“Then don’t-” he says softly, “Skeppy, I want this. This is my decision too. I want to be with you, I want to protect you, and I want to follow you wherever you go.” Skeppy’s reply catches in his throat, and he lets out a small whine.

“Bad, this isn’t funny…”

“I’m not joking,” Bad insists, “I want this. I don’t want to lose you.” – not like he lost Ranboo.

“But you’ll die. You’ll give up on your immortality.” Bad shrugs.

“Skeppy, if you die without me-” His breath hitches because he doesn’t want to even consider that possibility, “If you leave me alone, I’ll-” He shakes his head. He doesn’t want to think about the despair he felt when he was taken away from Ranboo. About how lonely and cold the world had been. About how he had wished to be mortal, for his demon body not to curse him with an eternity of mourning his prince. He doesn’t want this to happen again. When Skeppy goes, so will he. “Don’t leave me alone…” he begs.

Skeppy is silent for a long moment. Bad barely hears him move around until he feels a comforting hand against his shoulder, and he looks up to the gentle blue eyes.

“What if you change your mind?” Skeppy whispers, “What if you decide you hate me?” Bad shakes his head.

“Never,” he says, “I would never.” He searches Skeppy’s face. “Would you?” His best friend laughs – a gentle and comforting sound that Bad has learned to love. It’s better than the birds singing, better than the wind in the trees, better even than the flapping of the Mother’s wings.

“Of course not, Bad!” Skeppy says, “You’re my best friend!” Bad smiles a little.

“Then let me do it.”

Skeppy bits his lips and looks away. He stares out of the window for a long moment and Bad starts fearing that he will call it all off. That he’ll say that this is too much. That he will leave Bad alone. He doesn’t though. After a little while – an eternity, Skeppy looks back into his eyes and nods.

“Okay,” he says, “Do it.” He pauses and the determination in his eyes flickers, letting place to a little bit of nervousness, “What do I need to do?”

Bad feels like the weight of the world has left his shoulders the moment Skeppy gave his agreement. He lets himself fall on his knees in front of the man – in a position demons should only adopt for their charge – and he looks up to his best friend. He ignores the spluttered protest that comes from Skeppy’s mouth and he smiles up at him, so calm and peaceful and trusting.

Skeppy agreed. He will let Bad link his soul to him, and they will be together forever.

“You have nothing to do,” Bad says gently, “Just follow my lead.”

Skeppy trembles a little but he nods. Bad so strongly wants to stand back up and take his best friend in his arms and hold him there forever, but he also hears the scream in his heart that tells him to complete the pact now, to let himself become attached to Skeppy.

“Okay-” Skeppy agrees shakily, “Okay, I can do that.”

Bad smiles again, so soft and content, and he reaches a hand up toward his best friend. Skeppy reacts instinctively and mimics him. Their hands meet and their fingers join. Bad closes his eyes and he lets himself feel the slow beating of Skeppy’s heart under his thumb. He feels the blood pumping slowly, regularly, and he thinks about how much he loves the human, about how he is ready to die for him. To die  _ with him _ . When Skeppy ceases to breathe, so will Bad, and he is so incredibly content with that knowledge.

He knows Skeppy feels it when Bad lets the End magic flow through him, because there’s a small flinch, a ‘ow!’ at the way Bad’s hands suddenly fill with heat until they are burning to the touch. Still, Skeppy doesn’t move, even if holding hands has now become painful.

Bad feels the way his own heart is slowly changing, the way the rhythm is shifting to better match Skeppy’s. Until it’s perfect. Until there’s only one heartbeat. It’s like there is only one heart, that’s pumping the blood in two beings’ veins. They’re linked together.

When Skeppy’s heart stops beating, so will Bad’s.

Bad looks up to Skeppy and he sees the fear and the uncertainty in his best friend’s eyes slowly being overridden by the care and affection they feel for each other. He squeezes their hands together and smiles apologetically when Skeppy winces at the burning sensation.

“Two souls together in one heart,” Bad recites before switching to the Ancestral tongue that used to be spoken by End demons, millennia before Skeppy was born. In a guttural tone that Skeppy cannot understand, he speaks of two souls being bound together in one of the oldest covenants between demons and End royals. He speaks of sharing a heartbeat and sharing the same destiny. He speaks of the Protector and his duty to his Charge, above all else. The words of the Ancient spell don’t match exactly, but Bad ignores it.

The words for ‘charge’ and ‘prince’ are the same in the Ancestors’ tongue, and Bad knows that Skeppy doesn’t fit the definition; he knows it is sacrilegious to make Skeppy replace the Prince of End. He knows his fate is meant to be shared with royalty alone, and that he is breaking millennia of covenants between demons and the Mother. He knows he should die for it, be immediately consumed. But the Mother is dead, and Bad has been taken away from the End. Skeppy is already his world, his home, his everything, and so he will be his charge too.

He continues speaking for what seems like hours. He recites the sacred words until his voice is hoarse and his mouth is dry. Skeppy doesn’t move for the entire time. In the beginning, Bad feels his friend’s hand tremble lightly in his, but, after Bad has been speaking in the Ancient tongue for several minutes, Skeppy starts relaxing. Bad tries not to feel overwhelmed with how much trust Skeppy is putting in him. He continues speaking until he can feel the pull of Skeppy’s soul – he feels it in his chest, in his entire being.

“Together,” he repeats, looking back at Skeppy. He feels a little out of breath and it looks like his best friend does too. Their hearts beat rapidly, in the exact same pace.

“Together?” Skeppy echoes. Bad smiles at him.

“Yeah,” he says, “Until the end. I promise.”

And Skeppy promises it too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very excited to see what y'all think!!
> 
> I took the (originally canon, then retracted) Bad and Skeppy share their life system, and ran with it very quickly. Basically Bad is immortal unless Skeppy dies. Hopefully, this also sheds some light on their relationship and how it works.  
> I was so excited to see some of y'all notice the "Promise" thing. It is a leitmotiv in the story, about as much as the puzzle metaphor :)) 
> 
> Also next chapter is a Techno POV. We get to see how the boy is settling in with Dad #3 and #4 :))


	9. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “He’s here,” Phil says in lieu of a greeting. Techno doesn’t take the time to ask questions. He doesn’t take the time to saddle Carl, he just jumps on him, gives Phil a nod, and then rides to the forest, while Phil takes to the sky again.  
> He is here.  
> In front of Ranboo.  
> Techno sees red but Phil’s calming hand is on his shoulder.  
> “Dream,” he says calmly instead of jumping at the God’s throat and destroying him for having dared to look into the direction of one of Phil’s, “I didn’t know we had any unfinished business.”  
> The God’s head snaps toward them and Techno tenses a little at the way Dream’s mouth curves into a smile below the mask.  
> “We don’t,” Dream replies, “Besides the favor, of course.” Ranboo goes stiff at those words and it is now Techno’s turn to stop Phil from taking a step forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Here is Techno's POV! Techno won't admit it to himself, but he is very soft for the boy. And, well, Ranboo is settling in quite well.  
> Would be a shame if a certain green man were to ruin that.
> 
> Enjoy!! :)

Techno isn’t used to company.

Phil doesn’t count, he says to anyone who points out that the winged man has been living with him for months, ignoring Techno’s own claim of self-isolation. Phil doesn’t count. He is different. They have so much history, so much that they share, so much that they remember together, that simple eye-contact is enough for the two men to carry an entire conversation, completely in silence. Techno wants Phil to be safe, and he knows that Phil wants the same for him. So Phil doesn’t count.

Ranboo, though? The boy does. Techno barely knows him, met him properly when Ranboo was accompanying Techno’s to-be-executioners. Not a great introduction, the boy had later admitted with a self-deprecating chuckle.

Techno doesn’t have any specific opinion on him. He doesn’t hate him; the child looks reasonable enough, ready to hear about his and Phil’s opinions on governments, and not as excitable and loud as Tommy and Tubbo.

He’s been helpful around the house, in a way that Techno has completely forgotten could be possible of a guest. Phil, of course, has always helped him with projects and keeping their land safe, but again,  _ Phil doesn’t count _ . Ranboo is the polar opposite of Tommy. He is polite, quiet, and helpful. He rises at dawn to go feed the turtles and, every day after lunch, he heads to the woods and collects materials for them.

Techno isn’t sure why Bad and Skeppy assumed that the boy would need a protector. He keeps himself safe from the zombies and skeletons without any issues, and even chirps with the Endermen in a way that fascinates Phil. They talk about it by the fireplace, long after the sun has come down, Phil asks questions about the End, about the Endermen, and Ranboo shrugs, apologizes for forgetting, and tries to explain that he doesn’t control the way his mouth shifts from their language to Endspeak. Still- the boy is independent and relatively agile; he keeps himself safe and Techno pretends not to keep a careful eye on him. 

Phil’s surveillance is much less subtle. When Ranboo heads out to gather wood, Phil waits exactly two minutes (Techno knows, he has counted the seconds in his head) before he bolts out of the cabin and flies over the forest. He keeps himself hidden in the trees’ shades and, if Ranboo notices anything, he never brings it up.

Phil worries about Ranboo the way he used to do for Wilbur and Tommy. He doesn’t exactly fret over him the way he sometimes did for Tommy, but Techno still notices the way his old friend’s eyes never leave the child for more than a minute. There’s some fascination in those eyes, and sometimes flashes from when Phil was younger. From when he would leave for months on end and ask Techno to keep an eye on his sons. Ranboo reminds him of those times, Techno can tell.

They talk about it in hushed voices, long after Ranboo has gone to sleep in the small bedroom Phil built the day after Skeppy and Bad left. Phil tells Techno about his adventures in the End. He talks about his house there, he talks about the Endermen, and he talks about the long, long silence that had followed the feeling of  _ loss _ . And he tells Techno about the body of a dragon, left to rest in the center of an island. 

And then, of course, he describes meeting Ranboo. He speaks of the first time, of Ranboo’s small curious eyes and of the way the child had clearly been shocked by something and mistrustful of Phil. And then he tells him of the second time, of the way Ranboo had silently begged Phil to take him with him. He doesn’t talk about the guilt he feels about not having brought him home, but Techno can hear it regardless. He knows Phil too well for the man to be able to hide anything from him.

Phil is attached to the kid, for some reasons that Techno cannot truly understand – some that are linked to Phil’s wanderlust and to the stars in his eyes when he spoke of the deserted realm with its undiscovered cities and its vast amount of emptiness. Phil is attached to Ranboo, and so, the very same way Techno had begrudgingly accepted Tommy and Wilbur in his life and placed them under his protection, he chooses to keep an eye on the kid.

If he initially thought that the whole affair was ludicrous, Techno is glad he didn’t completely lower his guard. One day, when Phil goes back to the Dream SMP kingdom for a few hours, to find them provisions – and to secretly check on Tommy, Techno knows, even if Phil won’t even admit it to himself. Techno and Ranboo find themselves alone, and Techno catches a green flash in the snow.

Ranboo must too, because he completely freezes. He goes extremely stiff and cannot answer Techno’s hurried questions for a few minutes. When he does, though, he reassures Techno, tells him that the green flash was probably a product of their imagination, and refuses to dive deeper into the reasons why the sight of the color made him panic.

Techno takes them home. He pretends to be gruff and unhappy and grumbles about the wasted time. Ranboo smiles apologetically and offers to make dinner as a way of atoning for ruining their escapade in the tundra. Techno feigns being sated by the proposal. He knows Ranboo sees the way he relaxes when they are both safe and sound inside the cabin, and he knows the child can also tell the way he takes particular care of locking the doors, but Ranboo doesn’t mention it, and that makes the child so much better than Tommy. Tommy would have never let him hear the end of it. Even Phil would have made a comment about Techno growing soft. Ranboo just observes and pretends not to have noticed anything.

Nothing happens in the next few days and Techno starts relaxing again. He still double-locks all of the doors but he no longer wakes up at the slightest noise around the house. He doesn’t remove the traps around their land, but he tells himself that they are just hunting traps rather than devices meant to warn him the moment a God enters their territory. He relaxes. Phil’s eyes are no longer the only pair following Ranboo’s movements wherever the child goes, but Techno stops carrying potions whenever they go out to cut some trees.

On second thought, maybe he should have continued doing that.

He is near the house, feeding Carl some hay and talking to him in a soft voice, when he hears wings flapping. He is about to greet Phil with a joke when he meets his friend’s panicked eyes.

“He’s here,” Phil says in lieu of a greeting. Techno doesn’t take the time to ask questions. He doesn’t take the time to saddle Carl, he just jumps on him, gives Phil a nod, and then rushes to the forest, while Phil takes to the sky again.

He is here.

In front of Ranboo.

Techno sees red but Phil’s calming hand is on his shoulder.

“Dream,” he says calmly instead of jumping at the God’s throat and destroying him for having dared to look into the direction of one of Phil’s, “I didn’t know we had any unfinished business.”

The God’s head snaps toward them and Techno tenses a little at the way Dream’s mouth curves into a smile below the mask.

“We don’t,” Dream replies, “Besides the favor, of course.” Ranboo goes stiff at those words and it is now Techno’s turn to stop Phil from taking a step forward. “I was just visiting.” Techno forces his tone to shift back to a cordial one, though he doesn’t bother masking the undertones that scream ‘Fuck off.’

“Of course,” he says, “Just visitin'.” He observes the God as he speaks, gages how armed he is, whether he and Phil could take him, should he choose to threaten Ranboo. “You know I’m not one for visitors.”

Dream chuckles at that and, with his chin, he points to Ranboo. The child is still frozen in place and seems not to notice Phil’s efforts to catch his attention. Techno can feel his friend vibrating besides him, fighting the urge to just grab the kid and throw him behind them.

“I thought I knew that,” Dream says, still with his polite and almost disinterested tone, “But I see at least one new visitor.” He nods at Phil and Techno tries to ignore the way the older man’s breath hitch, “Of course, Philza doesn’t count. He is more than a visitor.”

“He is,” Techno agrees. Yes, let’s keep this conversation on Phil, let’s keep the God’s eyes away from Ranboo. Dream, however, seems to hear his thoughts, because he immediately looks back to the child.

“Ranboo, though…? I thought he was at your execution…”

“He was,” Techno replies, refusing to play the God’s game and start talking more.

“And you two destroyed his home, didn’t you?”

“We did,” Techno says at the same time as Phil’s “We all did.” Dream shifts a little.

“I didn’t know you three got along.”

“I didn’t know I had to report all of my friendships and alliances to you.” Techno’s tone is a bit more aggressive now. Not enough for Dream to comment on it but enough for Ranboo to turn to look at him, surprise painted on his face. Phil takes that opportunity to quickly gesture for Ranboo to join them. The kid hesitates for a fraction of a second before he slowly walks to Phil. Techno relaxes when Dream doesn't move to intervene.

“You don’t,” Dream says simply. “It is just… interesting.” Techno can tell that the God’s eyes do not leave Ranboo and he almost finds himself snarling. “Tell me Technoblade, is it a case of friendship, or alliance?”

Techno presses his lips together. He feels a little better now that Phil’s hands are on Ranboo’s shoulder. He knows the man will fly off with the kid at the first sign of danger.

“I don’t think you need to know,” he comments. Dream laughs, low and amused, and it definitely rubs Techno the wrong way.

“I guess I don’t,” Dream replies. He takes a step forward and Techno sees, on the corner of his eye, the way Phil moves protectively in front of the kid. “You should carefully choose your alliances, Technoblade.”

Techno glares at him. He moves forward a little to stand in front of Phil and Ranboo.

“I think I’m doing quite well, thank you.” He makes a very small motion of his hand and relaxes when he hears Phil’s wings flap behind him. Dream’s head follows the movement, and he cranes his neck to look as Phil and Ranboo disappear above the clouds.

“Very well,” he says. He sounds amused and Techno’s fingers brush the hilt of his sword. “I guess this is the game, now.” Techno growls.

“I’m no longer participating in your game,” he warns, “Phil and I are out. We helped you with L’Manberg. We’re out now.” Dream’s lips stretch a bit further.

“Is Ranboo out of the game too?” he asks, a laugh in his voice.

“He is a kid,” Techno responds firmly, “He isn’t part of the game.” Dream smiles wider and Techno wants to hit him.

“Tommy’s a kid too,” he comments, “And I didn’t see you have any qualms about getting him involved.”

Techno tries not to remember Tommy’s pleas as he and Phil put L’Manberg to fire and the sword. He forces himself to forget the sight of Tommy waking up from a nightmare, begging for Dream to spare him.

“This is different.” Dream’s head tilts slightly to the right and the God doesn’t bother hiding his amusement.

“Is it?” he asks, “How is me playing with Tommy different from this?” Techno wants to growl at the confirmation that Dream has been  _ playing _ with Ranboo. He needs to warn Bad.

“Stay away from him,” he orders, a clear threat in his voice, “Stay away from the both of them, actually.” Dream chuckles.

“You’re not answering my question, Technoblade.”

Techno glares at him again and he notices the way Dream’s arms tense ever so slightly, as if he was readying himself to take his axe. Techno’s hand comes a little closer to his sword. He won’t let Dream get the first hit.

“I don’t have to answer anything.”

“You don’t,” Dream agrees calmly, “But I think that you’re finding this as  _ interesting _ as I am.” His arms loosen up and the God lets himself relax. He leans against a tree and stares at Techno. “Tell me, Technoblade, how much have you discovered about the kid?”

Techno keeps his mouth stubbornly shut. He lets his hand move away from his sword, but he doesn’t relax the way Dream has. He continues watching his every movement carefully, reading to bounce if Dream goes back to the fighting stances he just abandoned.

“Nothing?” Dream taunts, “Come on, there must be something.” He hums, as if in thoughts, before he continues, “Surely Philza told you something about him. He looks too protective of him for them not to share something. And, well, we both know where those wings are from.”

Techno tries not to snap at the man. If Dream is annoyed by Techno’s prolonged muteness, he does not show it. He continues talking, keeping his tone relaxed and amused.

“Surely you’ve noticed the kid’s similarities to the Endermen. Does he speak to them in your presence?” He tilts his head at the way Techno stopped breathing. “He does…” he confirms to himself, “Has he told you anything else about his world? Or has Phil?”

“What do you know about the End?” Techno finally asks, and Dream looks as happy as a cat who finally got the milk.

“Oh, not much,” he replies, teasing, “Just what has been written, you know. Probably the same as you do.” Techno shakes his head.

“You lie.” Dream laughs again and, this time, it makes Techno’s blood curdle.

“Maybe I do,” the God admits, “But how will you find out? I doubt the kid will answer your questions.”

“Phil will.” Dream chuckles.

“Philza doesn’t know nearly as much as I do, Technoblade,” he taunts, “I could share that knowledge with you. I know that you are a curious man. A man of knowledge. You don’t like not knowing, do you?” Techno shrugs.

“I’m not adding another favor to the one I already owe you.” Dream laughs again. Does he never stop laughing? Does he think that all of this is amusing? Is everything just a game to him?

“I would give you that information for free,” he proposes, a clear tease in his voice, “Don’t you want to  _ know _ , Technoblade? Don’t you crave that knowledge?” Techno clenches his jaw.

“Nothing in life is free,” he responds, crossing his arms.

“Oh, aren’t you wise, Technoblade?” Dream mocks, “Maybe it isn’t free. But wouldn’t you like to learn either way?”

“Not from you,” he spits, and Dream puts a hand against his chest, pretends to be hurt.

“And here I thought we were friends.” Techno glares at him.

“You know we’re not,” he replies, “Stay away from the kid.”

Dream’s smile falls a little.

“You should consider which friendships you invest in more carefully,” he advises slowly, “Some may end up causing you a lot of grief.”

“Yours would,” Techno responds, and Dream tilts his head a little.

“Be careful, Technoblade,” he says again, “This child is a pawn in a game much too complex for you to play in.” Techno narrows his eyes and Dream smiles, “Take it like this: this chessboard is so big that you would not become a player. You would become a piece.” He takes a step closer and Techno reaches for his sword. “Maybe a powerful one, maybe a Queen, but a piece either way.”

“Are you a player?” Dream’s smile widens.

“Maybe I am,” he says, “Or maybe I’m arbitrating the game.” Techno shakes his head.

“You have too much at play,” he points out, “You’re involved in this.” Dream shrugs.

“And what will you do about it?”

“Nothing for now,” Techno responds. His hand touches his sword and it is clear in the way Dream adapts his posture that he noticed it, “But if you touch the kid, I’ll have to intervene.” Dream looks a bit more serious.

“Who told you to protect him?” he asks. Techno smiles and shakes his head.

“I don’t have to answer any of your questions,” he responds. Dream huffs like some sort of petulant child who’s not getting his way, instead of the man with Godly powers he is.

“Fine. How much are they paying you?”

“Nothing you could outbid,” Techno replies, but he notes the fact that Dream was ready to pay him, puts that information in the back of his mind. Whatever is at play, it is serious enough for Dream to try to get Techno on his side again. Not that the Piglin would betray Skeppy’s trust. Not only that, but Phil would skin him alive if he let anything happen to the boy.

“Are you sure about that answer, Technoblade?” Techno smirks at the disappointment in Dream’s tone.

“Certain.” Dream scoffs.

“Very well,” he says, “You’ve made your choice.” He moves again, away from Techno this time.

The Piglin allows himself to breathe out a sigh of relief but he doesn’t lower his guard. Not yet. Not until he is back home, with Phil and Ranboo.

“But I’m warning you, Technoblade,” Dream says from the shadows of the trees, “Nothing good has ever happened to those who tried to protect the Prince of End.”

The what.

The what.

“The what?”

Silence answers him. Techno curses and steps forward, searches the place where Dream had been standing, checks the trees in the area. The man is gone. He is gone, but his last words are ringing in Techno’s mind.

The Prince of End.

Shit.

Did Phil know? Had Phil known all this time?

Oh, Gods, did Bad know? Was this why he had been so insistent that Techno protect him? Was this the reason for Bad’s own protectiveness of the kid?

Suddenly, things start to make sense. Bad’s hidden past that he doesn’t share with anyone. The fact that he just popped into the Overworld one day, angry at Dream, angry at  _ everyone _ , in fact. Bad’s powers and his resemblance to Ranboo, who is the  _ fucking Prince of End _ . Did the kid just rule an entire realm? Did he suddenly decide to leave, or–

Oh.

Bad’s protectiveness suddenly makes even more sense. Techno paces around the forest. He could ride Carl back, it would be faster, but the Piglin really needs some time to think. So instead, he holds onto Carl’s lead and walks in long strides through the woods.

Ranboo is not meant to be here. Whatever happened to him, Techno isn’t sure, but the kid isn’t meant to be here. That’s why Bad is so worried. Bad, a demon so powerful and so utterly terrifying that simply catching his eyes manages to make Techno uneasy, is worried. For the Prince of End.

Oh Gods, what has he put himself into?

He thinks about the way Bad had refused to answer any questions regarding Ranboo or what Dream might want with him and he wants to scream. Of course, he hadn’t wanted to tell Techno anything! Techno would never have been so stupid as to agree to play bodyguard for the Prince of the fucking End!

Wouldn’t he?

Techno remembers the way Phil had looked so lost and yet so  _ found _ when he’d looked at the kid. He thinks of the winged man sitting with Ranboo, by the fireplace, and teaching him about the End in the soft voice that he used to reserve for Tommy and Wilbur. He thinks of Ranboo’s eyes, full of wonder and fascination as Phil spoke.

He thinks of Ranboo helping him feed Carl, and cleaning the turtle enclosure, and going to the village with Techno to negotiate new prices for the enchanting books. He thinks of Ranboo’s interest in learning how to brew potions, of the way he had seemed to hang on Techno’s every word, writing down the explanations in his small notebook with a fervor Techno had never managed to cause in either Will or Tommy. 

Maybe he wouldn’t have refused.

But still, he now has a prince – the Prince of End – living on his fucking land, and Dream apparently wants him.

Techno curses again and he walks a bit faster as he sees the cabin.

Dream’s after the kid. Dream’s after them all, now, because Techno has said that he would protect Ranboo and Phil is less than subtle in the affection he holds for the boy.

They have a man with Godly powers after them, because  _ Skeppy _ came crying at his doorstep and begged him to play babysitter.

Techno should have known the man would get back at him for that maze scheme.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whelp, Dream has joined the game. 
> 
> I am so excited to see y'all's reaction to that development! We are pretty much done with setting down the background of the story, so we are actually moving into the Plot now! :)) I'm looking forward to seeing that you all thought!!
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	10. A Boy in a Destroyed House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They’re almost back to normal.  
> Or at least they would be, if Ranboo didn’t simply pop back into existence, the very same way he had when Skeppy had first found him. Unconscious on the ground, and destruction surrounding him.  
> Well, at least the destruction is new. The unconscious part is old, though, and Skeppy really doesn’t like it. He didn’t like it the first time, and he doesn’t like it this time either.  
> Bad lets out a shuddering breath, drops Skeppy’s hand, and rushes to the boy’s side. He shakes his shoulders worriedly while Skeppy looks around.  
> This is Tommy’s house – or rather, what’s left of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!!
> 
> I was so happy to see the reactions to the past chapter! Y'all are right: plot is picking up!   
> We are back with Skeppy, and things Aren't Great.
> 
> I'm super excited to see what y'all think of this one :)
> 
> Enjoy!!

It has been a few weeks since Skeppy and Bad have entrusted Techno with Ranboo’s safety. Things seem… good.

In the beginning, they hadn’t looked so great. After about a week, Techno had travelled all the way to the mansion and banged on the door until Skeppy groggily got out of bed, glaring grumpily at the Piglin who had dared disturb his and Bad’s slumber.

Techno had asked for an  _ audience _ with Bad, as if they were some kind of royals that received peasants and heard their complaints. Skeppy had laughed, but Bad had flicked his tail nervously, already putting his cloak on, and agreed to hear Techno out. They’d started speaking in the kitchen, but as soon as the first words left Techno’s mouth – something about Dream, and the End, and something about a prince? Skeppy isn’t sure, he had been half-asleep – Bad had gently but firmly asked that they take this somewhere private.

Techno had complained a little, confused, and Skeppy had rubbed his eyes sleepily as he watched Bad usher Techno into the guest bedroom. He’d tried not to feel hurt when the door had slammed, locking him out of the conversation. Out of Bad’s life and Bad’s  _ before _ , and Bad’s secrets. He had gone back to bed and tried to ignore the worried voices he could hear through the walls, and he had pretended that the mattress wasn’t so cold.

The next morning, Techno was gone and Bad was tense. Tenser than he had been in years, almost back to the angry demon he had been before Skeppy had become his friend. Skeppy had tried to gently probe for information and he had to coax out the slimmest knowledge that Dream had been lurking in the tundra, and that he might actually want to hurt Ranboo. Skeppy had asked why, but Bad had withdrawn into silence, and Skeppy loved Bad’s voice too much to accept silence. So he had just stopped asking.

Bad had been extremely tense for a few days. He had gone to Eret’s castle every day, hoping to find Dream there, but he came back empty-handed every night, and Skeppy just sighed and gently wrapped his arms around him, rested his chin on Bad’s head, and promised that they would be okay. He wasn’t sure how they would, or why they had to be, but he chose to trust Bad on it, the same way Bad has chosen to trust him with his life.

But then Dream had remained calm – or rather remained nowhere to be found, and certainly not near Ranboo – so Bad had relaxed. He’d started smiling more, like Bad does and Skeppy loves, and he’d started spending more time with Skeppy.

They have cooked an army of muffins and cookies that are slowly trying to overtake their kitchen. They have played every board game that they have – several times – and they’ve been working on expanding on the East aisle of their mansion. Skeppy has been secretly collecting all of the dyes he can find to offer them to Bad so that they can finally start planning their statue room. They have been having fun, as if everything was back to normal.

Almost.

Bad continues to bring his sword and his bow wherever he goes, and Skeppy tries not to comment on it. It helps Bad feel safer, to know that he can protect himself, and Skeppy refuses to make his friend feel bad about his coping mechanism. They are fine.

So what if Bad spends an extra few minutes making sure that the mansion is fully locked up, every night before bed? So what if he curls around Skeppy protectively, and does not go to sleep until everything is fully quiet? So what if Bad frets over Skeppy the way he used to do when they had first made the pact, when they had first  _ promised _ , and when their common heartbeat was a new development that they both had to get used to?

Skeppy likes the concern anyway (he flourishes in Bad’s undisputed attention, feels vindictively joyful that he is the only one in Bad’s eyes), and he likes that they spend more time together.

They’re almost back to normal.

Or at least they would be, if Ranboo didn’t simply pop back into existence, the very same way he had when Skeppy had first found him. Unconscious on the ground, and destruction surrounding him.

Well, at least the destruction is new. The unconscious part is old, though, and Skeppy really doesn’t like it. He didn’t like it the first time, and he doesn’t like it this time either.

Bad lets out a shuddering breath and he drops Skeppy’s hand (it’s cold now, Skeppy doesn’t like it), and he rushes to the boy’s side. He shakes his shoulders worriedly while Skeppy looks around.

This is Tommy’s house – or rather, what’s left of it. The entire building is ransacked, as if someone had been through everything the kid owned, throwing it on the ground and destroying it meticulously. The walls have fallen apart, the columns have been ripped off, half of the roof has fallen and crushed the room below it. It’s an absolute wreck, and Skeppy knows about destruction. He has seen the crater in L’Manberg. 

What the fuck happened there?

And, more importantly, why is Ranboo in the middle of this?

“Bad,” Skeppy calls quietly when his best friend remains kneeling by the unconscious body. “Bad, we can’t stay here.”

“He’s not waking up,” Bad responds, his voice a little too high-pitched. He is panicking, and Skeppy has to shove down his own fear. Whoever did this may come back to the crime scene, and Skeppy doesn’t want to be there when they do. Bad clearly cannot make a rational decision, so Skeppy has to step in.

“Bad,” he insists, “We’ll worry about that at home. Please.” Bad turns to look at him and there’s real fear in the white glowing eyes, and Skeppy suddenly wishes that he brought his sword too.

Bad has never looked so scared. Maybe once, when Skeppy had been playing in the sky islands and he’d slipped, and he had watched the ground come increasingly closer with every second, started seeing his life flash before his eyes, until Bad was holding him to his chest, safe and tight and secure. Bad’s heartbeat (their heartbeat) was going so fast – too fast – and Bad had refused to let go of him for hours, keeping him inside his shaking arms, raw fear slowly dissipating from his face as Skeppy had repeated assurances that he was safe, that he was unharmed, and that he was alive (that  _ they  _ were alive). Skeppy had asked later (hours – maybe days later) how Bad had managed to save him, how he had been fast enough to catch him before Skeppy could hit the ground. And Bad, mysterious, enigmatic,  _ fascinating _ Bad, had not replied.

“Can you take him?” Bad asks quietly, and there’s a hint of a plea in his voice, “I have- I need my hands if he- If I have to defend him.” He pauses. “If I have to defend you two.”

Skeppy tries not to feel victorious at the fact that his safety is as important to Bad as Ranboo’s, and at the fact that Bad had to correct himself to let him know that he would defend  _ them two _ . This is ridiculous, this is misplaced jealously, and the kid is fucking unconscious on the ground.

He gives Bad a quick nod and moves to pick Ranboo up, gently folding his unresponsive body and holding it securely in his arms. The boy is lanky but light enough, and Skeppy has carried him to the mansion once before. 

He can do it again.

For Bad, he could do it a hundred times.

This second time will suffice for now, though, and Skeppy silently carries Ranboo back to the mansion. His worried eyes follow Bad as the demon circles perimeters around them, his bow held tightly in his arms, the string drawn and ready to fire. Skeppy remembers the reason why some people fear Bad, despite him being the kindest, softest, gentlest man Skeppy knows. Bad is a trained fighter, an assassin. If he finds a target, he doesn’t stop until his arrow is right at the center and all threats have been eliminated.

Usually, they are threats to Skeppy.

Today, they are threats to Ranboo. To Ranboo  _ and _ Skeppy, apparently. To the three of them, and to the peaceful and stable life they have formed.

So the walk home is completely silent, and the tension keeps going up, both around them and in Bad’s shoulders. Skeppy eventually reaches the mansion and gently settles Ranboo on the couch. He looks at Bad, at the way his best friend is walking around their house, whispering words under his breath. His hands are glowing with a purple light Skeppy very rarely sees, and Bad’s eyes are burning a bit brighter.

“Bad?” he calls, “Are you okay?

The demon paces for a bit longer, presses both glowing hands on the door, and speaks the incantations a bit louder. The door clicks shut in a way that Skeppy has never heard before. The locking sound is not one he knows, but he chooses not to question it. Bad feels unsafe, and he is doing his best to make sure that the house is as secure as it can be.

“Bad?” Skeppy calls again. His best friend jumps a little, blinks a few times, and the fire in his eyes disappears.

“Skeppy,” he says. His voice is low and worried, but it’s Bad’s voice again. Not the demonic rumble his friend was whispering around the house. “Are you okay? Is he okay?”

Skeppy nods mutely and he steps back to let Bad come check on Ranboo. Bad takes three large strides and he is by the kid’s side, kneeling beside him to be near his face. He presses a black hand on the child’s forehead, and Skeppy compares the tones of their skins. They are one and the same, and Skeppy knows it, and he tries not to feel too fascinated, too curious.

“Is he okay?” he asks, repeating Bad’s exact words. His friend chuckles worriedly and gives a shrug.

“I’m not sure,” he whispers, “He doesn’t have a fever and he is breathing normally, but he’s not waking up.” There’s a worried crease between Bad’s eyes and Skeppy  _ hates it _ . He wants to grab Bad’s face in his hands and smoothen it until there is no more worry to be found. But he knows this is a ridiculous solution, so instead, he nods and takes another step back.

“I’ll go get some regen potions,” he says, “And maybe… Maybe some golden apples?” Bad hums noncommittally, his eyes not darting away from Ranboo’s face. Skeppy grimaces and takes the hint.

He moves up to the storage room, where they keep most of the potions, and he rummages through the chest, cursing under his breath (Bad isn’t here to scold him) about their common habit not to organize anything. It makes it much harder to find what they are looking for. And maybe Techno has been mentioning that particular flaw to Skeppy for years, and maybe Skeppy has been ignoring it for years. Techno’s full of shit anyway.

He lets out a satisfied ‘Aha!’ when he finds a collection of vials, and he sniffs them carefully, regretting his and Bad’s decision not to mark them with the name of the potion they contain. Still, he manages to identify the exact right shade of pink and the correct scent. He grabs a few of the vials and goes to leave the room.

Only, before he does, something else catches his attention. There’s a small box on top of the armor chest. One Skeppy would definitely remember, but he knows it hasn’t been there before. It looks out of place, and the dust around it proves that it has probably been shoved in a corner for a very long time.

Skeppy’s curious. He has always been, even if Bad sometimes tells him that curiosity is a very dangerous thing. He reaches for the box, blows some of the dust off, and opens it.

It’s full of dark orbs that Skeppy mistakes for Ender pearl for a second before he realizes that they are too green, too bright, and that they look like eyes. Somewhat like Ranboo’s green eye, in fact. He brings one of them up to his face and turns it around in his palm. He can vaguely remember acquiring them a long time ago. He remembers Bad watching aptly as Sam demonstrated how to fuse an Ender pearl to a blaze rod. He remembers a flash of pain on Bad’s eyes as he had grabbed one of the orbs and Sam had explained that they were called Ender eyes, and that they were known to lead their owners to an End portal.

Oh.

Oh.

Skeppy lets go of the orb and it shatters against the floor.

Oh.

Bad’s trying to get back to the End.

Skeppy ignores the way tears burn at his eyes and he tries to rationalize things. Bad said that he wouldn’t leave.  _ He promised _ . They promised to each other to never leave the other’s side. But the Ender eyes are there, in the box, staring into Skeppy’s soul, and Skeppy wants to scream.

This makes no sense. This makes no sense. This fucking doesn’t make sense. Bad said he wouldn’t leave, when they had spoken in the tundra, and Bad never lies to him.

But Bad also hides so many things from him, so many things about  _ before _ , about the End, and about Ranboo.

“Skeppy?” Bad’s voice calls, “I heard something fall. Are you okay?” Skeppy doesn’t reply and he exhales quietly as Bad’s footsteps come increasingly closer to the storage room. “Skeppy?” He bites his lips and holds the box a little tighter. The door opens.

Bad looks exhausted and worried, and he immediately searches Skeppy’s eyes, before he notices the box. He looks dumbfounded, stunned, and like he doesn’t know what to do. Skeppy doesn’t know either.

“Skeppy,” Bad begins.

“I’ve got your potions,” Skeppy says in a weak voice, and he reaches to grab the vials and shove them in Bad’s hands. Bad accepts them, but he doesn’t take his eyes away from Skeppy’s.

“Skeppy,” he tries more quietly – more reassuringly.

“You should go give them to the kid,” Skeppy comments with a trembling chuckle, “The sooner the better, right?”

Bad blinks a few times before he shakes his head.

“Skeppy, I can explain.” Skeppy looks away from him and tightens his grip on the box, as if holding it tightly enough would prevent Bad from taking the orbs and disappearing from his life when he decides to do so.

“Is there really anything to explain?” he asks, and he wishes his voice was hard and cold, rather than the almost sob it comes out as.

“Yeah,” Bad responds quickly, “Yes, there is. Skeppy, please.” Skeppy presses his lips firmly together, but he can never say no to Bad, so he looks back at his best friend. Bad is staring at him with a conflicted expression that he has no right to have – not when he is the one who’s thinking of leaving. Skeppy should be the conflicted one. Conflicted between how much he loves Bad, how much he wants the demon to open his arms and hug him, and how much he really really wants to punch Bad right now.

“Is there?” he asks again, a little hysterical. Bad must notice it, because he puts the potions on the chest beside him and he takes a step forward. Skeppy moves back immediately, holds the box even tighter to his chest, and shakes his head. “No- No- I don’t want to hear it, Bad-” His heart is beating way too fast in his chest, way too painfully, and his breath is coming out a bit too shallow.

“Skeppy,” Bad says slowly and Skeppy shakes his head again, distantly wondering why his lungs have started burning. “Skeppy, look at me.” Skeppy closes his eyes, because Bad cannot tell him what to do. Bad lets out a low ‘hrm’, one that would sound annoyed to anyone, but Skeppy knows that it’s a worried sound.

Why is Bad worried for him when he’s thinking of leaving him all alone? Skeppy gasps for oxygen, finding it harder and harder to breathe, and he almost jumps when Bad’s cool hand grabs his wrist.

Bad’s hand is cold, he thinks, which is weird because Bad is usually very warm. Or perhaps Skeppy is just boiling, right now. But all he can think about is the fact that Bad is going to leave (even if he is holding his hand right now), and Bad probably hates him for keeping him away from the End (even if he is talking to him in hushed tones), and his head is so incredibly dizzy, and his heart is beating so fast in Bad’s chest.

Wait.

Bad has brought their hands together to his chest, and he is letting Skeppy feel the beatings of his heart – the beatings they share, because they have promised, because they have linked their souls and their fates together.

Wait.

“You can’t leave,” he chokes up, and Bad hums in response, in confirmation. “Not without me.”

“Never without you,” Bad restates in a gentle voice. "I don't  _ want _ to leave without you." He moves forward so that he can rest his forehead against Skeppy’s, “I promise.”

Skeppy relaxes a little and he squeezes Bad’s hand, the one’s that holding Skeppy’s so that his palm is flat against Bad’s chest, able to feel their shared heartbeats.

“Not without me,” Skeppy repeats, and Bad nods against his head.

“Never,” he promises again. Skeppy lets out a shaky exhale and he feels like he can breathe again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whelp. 
> 
> Two things:   
> (1) Dream is getting into Ranboo's head the way he does in canon (with the voice, which, here, we assume is Dream's and not Ranboo's imagination). He has been for a while, which is why Skeppy found Ranboo in the panic room in the first place.  
> (2) Tommy's destroyed house was loosely (very) inspired by the whole message Tommy got when Dream had his entire house covered in Netherite and the chest in the middle. To be clear, though, this AU diverges after Doomsday, so Dream isn't going after Tommy in this case. But he is still using Ranboo to wreak havoc on his house. 
> 
> Very excited to see what y'all thought! Next chapter, Skeppy gets ANSWERS.


	11. Solving a Puzzle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad swallows thickly. “He is meant to rule it,” he says.  
> “To rule the End?” Skeppy repeats carefully. Bad nods.  
> “Well, his mother, the Mother, was meant to rule it, really. But she isn’t there anymore.” Skeppy is so incredibly confused, but Bad is giving him the pieces of the puzzle, so he isn’t going to complain.  
> “Okay,” he says slowly, trying to follow with Bad’s explanation, “So Ranboo’s mom is the queen?” Bad shakes his head.  
> “She’s the Mother.” Skeppy blinks, unsure what the difference is. He doesn’t ask though. Clearly, there is a difference that matters, but Skeppy is not about to argue it. Not when Bad is finally handing him the puzzle pieces. He takes them eagerly and works on finally seeing the picture they form.  
> “What happened to her?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Here is the next part, where Skeppy finally gets ANSWERS.   
> Originally this chapter and the past chapter were one and the same, but it ended up being so long that I had to divide them. But anyway! The boys talk! :))   
> And we even get some Conscious Ranboo- a rare treat! :))
> 
> Enjoy!!

When Skeppy is calm enough, when his breathing is back under his control, he gently lets go of Bad’s hand and looks back to the Ender Eyes. To the one shattered on the floor, and to the few dozens hidden in the box. How did Bad even collect this many? They look back at him, and questions are burning Skeppy’s lips.

“So what-”

“They’re for Ranboo,” Bad explains – for once, he is explaining things. Explaining secrets, handing some pieces of the puzzle to Skeppy. “If I figure out how to find the portal, I can maybe send him back there.” Skeppy frowns. The kid has repeated that he doesn’t remember the End.

“Does he want to?” he asks. Bad looks taken aback by the question, like he hasn’t considered it.

“Well, he- He has to,” he replies, “It is his home.” Skeppy’s eyebrows furrow a bit deeper.

“It was your home too,” he says softly. He is surprised at the lack of resentment in his chest at the words. Forever, he has resented everything that was Bad’s  _ before _ , everything that kept his best friend from being fully happy with him, on the Overworld. But now, he feels calm. He’s accepted it. The End was Bad’s beginning, but the Overworld is Bad’s end. “And you left it." He pauses before amending his statement: "Not by choice."

Bad winces at the memory before he offers Skeppy a small smile. “Not going back is a choice,” he declares in a gentle voice. He closes his eyes and he lets out a small humming sound. "My home is here now."

Skeppy sniffles a little and realizes that he had been crying while he panicked about his best friend leaving. He brings his sleeve to his eyes and rubs a little. He looks back as Bad and almost feels overwhelmed by the affection in his best friend’s eyes.

“But the kid, though,” he insists, even though he wants to spend the entire day – the entire week – telling Bad how much he loves him and letting Bad promise over and over that he won’t leave his side, “Maybe you should give him that choice too.”

Bad shrugs and looks away from Skeppy’s gaze. “It’s different,” he says, “He is different.”

“How so?”

“Ranboo’s important. To the End. To me.” Skeppy chuckles a little.

“Yeah, I gathered,” he jokes, trying to continue coaxing Bad for another piece of the puzzle. “Why does he need to go back?” Bad swallows thickly.

“He is meant to rule it,” he says, and Skeppy vaguely remembers the mention of a prince, when Techno had come in the middle of the night, to warn Bad of Dream’s presence in the tundra.

“To rule the End?” he repeats carefully. Bad nods.

“Well, his mother, the Mother, was meant to rule it, really. But she isn’t there anymore.” Skeppy is so incredibly confused, but Bad is giving him the pieces of the puzzle, so he isn’t going to complain.

“Okay,” he says slowly, trying to follow with Bad’s explanation, “So Ranboo’s mom is the queen?” Bad shakes his head.

“She’s the Mother.” Skeppy blinks, unsure what the difference is. He doesn’t ask though. Clearly, there is a difference that matters, but Skeppy is not about to argue it. Not when Bad is finally handing him the puzzle pieces. He takes them eagerly and works on finally seeing the picture they form.

“What happened to her?”

“Dream,” Bad answers, and there’s so much hatred in his voice and in his eyes, that Skeppy is transported to the first day, when Bad was snarling at him and Dream had to keep the demon’s hands tied back, but, even with that handicap, Bad had still been a formidable opponent. “Dream happened.”

He doesn’t say anything else, but he doesn’t have to. Skeppy understands. There is a lot that he ignores about Bad’s past, but he also knows Bad. He knows what his best friend means, even without Bad having to spell every last word. He hears the grief in Bad’s voice. The Mother is dead. Dream killed her.

“And you- And then he took you.” It’s not a question. He knows it. Bad nods.

“And he took me here.” Skeppy curses, and Bad doesn’t bother to scold him. Instead, the demon reaches a hand, and he gently cups Skeppy’s cheek. “To you,” he adds.

And Gods, does Skeppy love him.

It is not the moment to be fond, though, not the moment to spend hours curled up in Bad’s arms, taking in the other’s presence. Not yet.

“Ranboo,” he says, “Dream wants him.” Bad nods grimly, and he removes his hand from Skeppy’s cheek. “Why?”

Bad makes a small laugh, one that is full of everything but joy. “I don’t know,” he admits, “Power, I guess? He stole the Mother’s energy before we left. That’s how he…” He gestures vaguely around. “That’s why people think he is a God.”

Skeppy frowns. So, Dream isn’t a God? Dream is just a random human, who happened to kill the ruler of Bad’s realm. This is crazy.

He would not believe it, if it came from anyone else’s mouth. But it’s Bad. And Skeppy trusts Bad with his life. Literally.

“Who else knows?” he asks. Bad sighs.

“George and Sap,” he responds, “And me. But George and Sap won’t ever say anything, and I’m…” He bites his lower lip.

“You didn’t want to talk about it,” Skeppy completes lowly. Bad has been traumatized by what happened in the End. It’s very clear to Skeppy, even if Bad will probably never put that word on his suffering. This is why he never spoke about it. “You didn’t want to relive it.”

Bad nods and he lets out a shuddering breath. 

Skeppy cracks at that, and he reaches up to envelop his best friend in his arms. “Thank you,” he whispers, “For telling me.” Bad shakes a little in his arms but he says nothing.

They hold each other like that for a while, not moving, listening to each other’s heart, reveling in the way they beat in unison. Skeppy keeps his chin on top of Bad’s head and they just breathe with each other. When Bad finally stops trembling, Skeppy lets go of him.

“Come on,” he says, “We gotta check on the kid.” Bad nods mutely, and he grabs Skeppy’s outstretched hand.

They go down the stairs together, hand in hand, and Skeppy chooses to break the comfortable silence. “So,” he says with a teasing smile, “What kind of powers do you have that I don’t know about? Can you teleport? Can you fly? Can you-”

Bad giggles and shoves Skeppy’s shoulder, with all the gentleness in the world.

“Don’t be curious!” he says, and Skeppy laughs. “Curiosity killed the cat.”

“Satisfaction brought it back,” Skeppy completes immediately, “Come ooonnn, Bad! Give me something!” He makes grabby hands and Bad chuckles again.

“You’ll find out when you need to,” he says, and Skeppy pouts like an upset child, which makes Bad laugh a little harder.

Gods, does Skeppy love him.

He would fight a God – or rather a man with godly powers – for him any day of the week, he realizes.

Their hilarity subsides when they come back to the living room, to Ranboo still asleep on the couch.

“Well,” Skeppy says lowly, “Potion time, I guess.” Bad nods a bit more grimly and he moves to be by Ranboo’s side. He very gently grabs the kid’s head and brings it up a little while his other hand presses the vial against his lips. Ranboo doesn’t move, but his throat bulges a little as he swallows.

Bad lets go of his head and they both wait silently, breathlessly, until the kid lets out a little exhale. His eyes flutter a few times before they finally focus on them. Ranboo’s confusion is clear in the way he glances between them.

“Bad?” he mumbles, his voice still very low with sleep, “Skeppy?”

“Good morning, sleeping beauty,” Skeppy says, and Bad scowls at him from his spot by Ranboo’s side.

“Good? Morning?” Ranboo responds, clearly so incredibly lost. “What am I doing here?” He stares at Bad before continuing quickly, “Not that it’s not good to see you, but I-” He frowns. “I was with Techno and Phil. I think.”

Bad’s lips press together into a tight line. “You think?” he repeats. Ranboo nods.

“Well, I have-” He looks through his pockets before his frown deepens, “My journal,” he says, “Where is my journal?”

Skeppy looks at Bad with concern, but Bad only has eyes for the child.

“We didn’t find any journal,” he says, and there’s a flash of pure panic in Ranboo’s eyes. “Phil probably has it, though,” he continues, “He is on his way.”

Skeppy had no idea that he was, that they were getting Phil and Techno to come get the kid again, but he assumes that Bad must have contacted them while he was upstairs, looking for potions and freaking out at the sight of a box.

He chooses to trust Bad’s judgement, but there’s a knot in his stomach, that pinches in an unpleasant manner. Why are they trusting Phil and Techno to keep the kid safe, when they managed to get Dream at their doorstep, and Ranboo unconscious hours away from their house? It doesn’t feel safe, and Skeppy tries to shove down the part of himself that’s screaming at him to take care of the kid himself.

Ranboo is Bad’s - Bad’s charge, and Skeppy shares his life with Bad. Literally and figuratively. That makes Ranboo Skeppy’s, as much as he is Bad’s, and Skeppy is so desperately trying to fight off the feelings of possessiveness and protectiveness that are crawling through his chest.

He is possessive and jealous, he’s always known it, but normally it’s reserved to Bad, the mansion, and his personal collection of diamonds.

He didn’t expect the kid to make it onto the list.

“Is Phil coming to pick me up?” Ranboo asks timidly, “I’m sorry if I caused any inconvenience.”

“You really hav-”

“Don’t be stupid,” Skeppy interrupts Bad, “We want you to be safe. It was no trouble.” Bad throws him a curious look, like he can somehow read the change in Skeppy’s demeanor just by the three sentences he pronounced. Skeppy knows he does, because Bad and he can understand each other with a look, let alone a few words.

Bad smiles at him, so content and happy with this new development, and Skeppy thinks that maybe the kid should stay with them. They could redecorate the guest room for him, make it Ranboo’s room, and-

Phil’s here.

They hear the flaps of his wings before they see him, but they immediately recognize him. Bad stands, alert, and Ranboo looks to the door. The handle seems to shake a few times, but nothing happens.

“Heya mates,” Phil calls from outside. “I can’t seem to open the door.”

Bad’s face of pure confusion almost tears a laugh from Skeppy’s lips. His mouth forms a perfect circle and his eyebrows are rising.

“Bad,” he says gently, “You locked us all in earlier.” The demon blinks a few times before he nods.

“Oh, yeah,” he whispers, more to himself than to Skeppy or Ranboo, “I did do that.” He moves away from Ranboo and rushes to the door, pressing both palm to the white wood. He murmurs a few words in that ancestral tongue of his, and there’s a clicking sound before the door opens up. “Sorry,” Bad apologizes, and Skeppy chuckles.

He turns to look at Ranboo, at the clear fascination in the kid’s eyes.

“It’s from your realm,” he says with a gentle smile, “That’s some of the power he kept.”

“I know,” Ranboo responds, “It feels… familiar.” Skeppy hums in response and he sits next to the kid, on the couch.

“You felt familiar,” he comments, “When I picked you up. You were laying on the floor in that little obsidian room, and I looked at you, and all I could see was Bad.” Ranboo makes a timid smile at the words.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Skeppy confirms, “Fucking weird when I knew that you weren’t him.” He chuckles at the way Ranboo tenses and looks behind them, expecting Bad to appear and lecture them about his use of curse words. “Don’t worry,” he continues, elbowing him gently, “He’s soft for me, and he won’t yell at you. You’re like…” He gestures in the air, unsure what word to use, “You’re like… His? In a non-possessive, non-creepy way.”

Ranboo snorts. “That sounds possessive and creepy,” he comments, and Skeppy laughs with him.

“Hey,” he protests with a chuckle, “Bad’s not possessive and creepy. I mean…” He shrugs, “Maybe a little. Sometimes. He’s a demon.” Ranboo turns to look at him and Skeppy gives a small smile. “He linked his soul to mine,” he says, and though the pact was something that they had tacitly agreed to keep secret, it feels natural to tell the kid.

“Really?”

“Yup,” Skeppy confirms. “He and I are tight.” He crosses his index and middle fingers together, and Ranboo stares at it with a smile. “Like tight tight.” He pauses for a second before he continues, the words falling off his lips before he can even think them through, “I don’t know how demon magic works, but maybe he could… You know?” He adds his ring finger to his crossed fingers. He doesn’t say the words but Ranboo understands them anyway.

“I don’t think it would work,” he says carefully, “End demons only link their soul to one individual.” He looks at Skeppy with a small smile. “Normally the heir to the End.” 

Skeppy should feel guilty about it, about stealing Bad from Ranboo, but he doesn’t. Ranboo should look angry at the confirmation that his Protector was taken away from him, but he doesn’t.

“How do you know that?”

Ranboo shrugs easily. “I have absolutely no idea.” Skeppy smiles at him. He likes the kid. He likes him a lot. He would be happy if Ranboo became part of his and Bad’s end.

“Well,” he says, “Even if Bad can’t do his demon powers thing, you can always…” He shrugs, “We've got a guest room.” Ranboo smiles. It’s a kind smile, rather than the polite one he usually shows. This one seems genuine.

“Thank you,” Ranboo says, “It means a lot.” Skeppy opens his mouth to respond but Ranboo continues: “I should probably go back with Phil, though, shouldn’t I?”

Skeppy so desperately wants to say no, but Bad apparently entrusts Phil and Techno with the kid, and Skeppy trusts Bad.

“Yeah,” he mumbles, “Yeah, I guess you should.”

Ranboo stands up and Skeppy follows him to the entrance, where Phil and Bad are locked in a conversation.

“- weird, but he’s fine with it,” Phil continues. He gives Skeppy a polite nod before recentering his attention on Bad, “I guess he isn’t as upset about governments when they’re in dimensions he has never heard of.” Bad laughs easily.

“I guess I should have thought of that problem earlier,” he says, “I’m glad it’s not, you know, a big problem.” Phil nods and he claps a hand on Ranboo’s shoulder.

“Nah, mate, don’t worry about it,” he says, “Techno would never admit it, but he really likes Ranboo’s company. We would really miss him if he had to go.”

There’s a pink blush on the pale half of Ranboo’s face, and Skeppy’s protectiveness is a little tamed by it. Even if the boy isn’t staying with them, he clearly enjoys himself with Techno and Phil. It makes him feel better. Slightly.

He moves in to stand a little closer to Bad, and their hands find each other.

“Hey Phil,” he says, “Better keep an eye on him, okay?”

Phil raises an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. I like seeing the kid awake. Not asleep in the middle of the rubble.” Bad squeezes his hand a little, a warning for him to be polite, but Skeppy ignores it. This is Bad’s kid they are talking about. Their kid. He wants him to be safe. “The agreement with Techno is that he will protect him from Dream. That’s kind of hard to do when Ranboo’s all the way in L’Manberg and you two are back in the tundra.”

Phil nods. His gaze hardens a little, but it’s not against Skeppy specifically, or at least Skeppy doesn’t feel like he is actually in danger. And given by the fact that Bad is not jumping in front of him with a growl, neither does Bad.

“Yeah,” Phil says, “Of course. We want him safe too.” He smiles at Ranboo and the kid smiles back, looking a little embarrassed that he caused so much trouble.

Skeppy nods emphatically. “Good,” he says, “I trust Techno.” And he does, even if there’s a burning fire in his stomach that begs him to keep Ranboo safe himself. He trusts Techno. And if Techno trusts Phil, then he trusts Phil as well.

Phil’s eyes are mirthful, and he gently squeezes Ranboo’s shoulder.

“So do I,” he says, “Techno may seem gruff but he has a soft spot for Ranboo, and so he won’t let anything happen to him.” Ranboo blushes a little more at that. “Even if he usually doesn’t do well with royalty.”

“Pscht,” Skeppy says, sweeping the argument with a gesture of his hand, “He wears a fucking crown. Whatever he says against princes is immediately nullified by his outfit.”

And also, Skeppy will actually punch him in the throat if Techno looks at Ranboo the wrong way. But that’s another matter.

Plus, all things considered, Techno would most likely win that fight. Skeppy has experience play-fighting with Techno and he knows that he wouldn’t really stand a chance. Maybe it is better to just put his money on Techno being soft. 

Phil laughs and he looks out of the window and checks the sun’s position.

“We should probably head back,” he tells Ranboo, “I left in a hurry. Techno’s worried about you.” The kid goes to mumble an apology but Phil raises his hand. “None of that. You are safe. That’s what matters.”

Okay, Skeppy likes Phil now.

He and Bad follow them outside, to the front of the house, and they watch as Phil gently grabs Ranboo, holding him as comfortably as he can, and starts flapping his wings. Bad squeezes Skeppy’s hand a little tighter, and perhaps Skeppy does too. Neither of them speaks of it. They stare until Phil and Ranboo are just a little dot in the sky, in the horizon, and only then do they go back inside.

Bad is a little more cuddly that evening. He finds Skeppy and buries his head in his chest, and Skeppy chuckles fondly and wraps his arms around his best friend.

Skeppy is a little more clingy for the next few days, and Bad giggles in amusement, and he indulges him.

They are fine.

Ranboo is safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, Ranboo is safe.  
> Sure would be a shame if something were to change that fact.  
> :)
> 
> Excited to see what y'all thought about this chapter!! :)) Skeppy has finally fully latched onto his new son. And he and Bad have achieved Communication 101. Progress!!
> 
> Thank you all for reading :))


	12. A Boy in a Crater

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skeppy’s a bit desperate now, and he moves forward until he can see Ranboo’s purple eyes.  
> Wait.  
> Since when were Ranboo’s eyes purple?  
> Oh, and another important question: why the fuck does Ranboo look like an Enderman?  
> Why does he speak like an Enderman?  
> He gargles at him, a sound that Skeppy has learned to associate with 'look down' and 'no eye contact'. But it doesn’t make sense, because Ranboo is not a fucking Enderman, he is a kid, Bad and Skeppy’s, and he shouldn’t be making this guttural sound.  
> What. The. Fuck.  
> “Ranboo,” Skeppy calls, his voice calm but firm, “Ranboo, snap out of it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Here is chapter 12! We are well-on in the middle of things now! Today is Bad and Skeppy's second realization that Something might be going on with Ranboo. 
> 
> I wish I could offer you lighter stuff, but this is all I have in store :(( At least Ranboo has all of his Dads to look over him!!
> 
> Enjoy!!

Ranboo is, in fact, not safe. And not even _Ranboo_ , for that matter.

Skeppy finds out about that on another one of his trips near the ruins of L’Manberg. He still hates the crater, still hates everything that it represents – the fact that Bad had almost endangered himself to save a city-state he isn’t even a part of – but he is starting to get used to the sight of the rubbles and the gaping hole in the middle of the land.

It doesn’t look _good_ , by any means, and Skeppy still refuses to spend more than the minimum amount of time near it, but the crater becomes a familiar sight.

The smoke and the burning scent near the crater, however, are not familiar.

Skeppy furrows his eyebrows, and he walks closer to the crater. The fire, whatever it is, is coming from within it. His eyes burn a little as a whiff of smoke comes toward him, carried by the wind, but Skeppy moves closer. He just has to see what it is, and then he will go on his way. If he feels generous, he will alert the right person to stop the fire. Maybe it’s just whatever’s left from a house that’s burning. Maybe it’s one of the L’Manbergian making some kind of foul-smelling barbecue.

Or maybe it’s Ranboo setting the L’Manberg flag ablaze.

What?

What the fuck.

The blue, red, and white are already starting to disappear, to fade into ashes, and it seems like all that will be left from the flag is dark black fabric and the hint of the crosses. Now that he sees it, Skeppy can tell that it is the fabric that’s burning. And, for some ungodly reason, Ranboo is walking around the flames, keeping the fire going – making it bigger in fact.

What the fuck.

Isn’t he supposed to be in the tundra, with Phil and Techno? Isn’t he supposed to stay away from danger?

Whatever he is supposed to do, Ranboo clearly isn’t doing it. Because instead, he is fucking standing in the middle of a crater and burning the flag of the country he used to call home.

What the fuck.

Skeppy doesn’t think (Bad would say that he never thinks), and he jumps forward, into the ravine. He lands safely in the water and he moves toward the scene.

His arrival hasn’t made enough noise for Ranboo to turn toward him, but Skeppy isn’t exactly trying to be silent as he approaches.

The smoke makes him cough but, again, Ranboo doesn’t flinch.

“Ranboo?” Skeppy calls. The boy doesn’t turn, doesn’t make a single movement that could indicate that he heard him. “Ranboo, what are you doing?”

Nothing.

There’s no reaction, and Skeppy’s frown deepens as he takes a step closer.

“Hey, buddy, arson is Sapnap’s thing. Maybe we should leave it to him?” He chuckles, tries to defuse the situation with humor, but Ranboo remains completely unresponsive.

There is growing fear in Skeppy’s stomach. He tries to ignore it.

“Did Phil or Techno upset you?” he asks, “I’ll beat them up. I don’t know about Phil’s weaknesses, but I can go for Techno’s kneecaps.” He laughs again, but Ranboo doesn’t even glance in his direction. He moves around quietly, uses the flint and steel to set another part of the flag ablaze.

“You don’t have to go back to them if you don’t want to,” Skeppy says. “You can stay with us in the mansion instead. Or wherever you want.” No answer. “Is this teenage angst? I went through it too. We can talk about it.”

But Ranboo, clearly, very clearly, does not want to speak.

And Skeppy is coming alarmingly fast to the conclusion that none of this is normal.

“Ranboo,” he calls again, “This isn’t funny.”

Funny or not, Ranboo keeps ignoring him.

For fuck’s sake.

“Ranboo!” This is a yell now, but the kid _doesn’t fucking flinch_. “Ranboo, look at me!”

Skeppy’s a bit desperate now, and he moves forward, until he can see Ranboo’s purple eyes.

Wait.

Since when were Ranboo’s eyes purple?

Oh, and another important question: why the fuck does Ranboo look like an Enderman?

Why does he _speak_ like an Enderman?

He gargles at him, a sound that Skeppy has learned to associate with _look down_ and _no eye contact_. But it doesn’t make sense, because Ranboo is not a fucking Enderman, he is a kid, Bad and Skeppy’s, and he shouldn’t be making this guttural sound.

What. The. Fuck.

“Ranboo,” Skeppy calls, his voice calm but firm, “Ranboo, snap out of it.”

The boy stares at him for a long time, purple eyes unblinking, and he lets out other throaty sounds before he turns back, staring at the flames that devour the flag.

“I don’t know what you’re doing,” Skeppy says, “But it’s not funny. I don’t care about the L’Manberg flag, I really don’t. But the eyes? The sounds? Not responding to me? That’s fucked up, kid.”

Ranboo hums to himself, a low sound that is almost enough for Skeppy’s blood to curdle in his veins. It sounds too animal. Way too far away from Ranboo. He takes a step away from the boy, and the kid – the creature – seems to stiffen at it. His ears perk up and his face turns back toward Skeppy.

It shouldn’t feel threatening.

Ranboo is a kid, and he’s never shown any willingness or even ability to hurt anyone.

It feels threatening. Ranboo’s entire behavior is threatening. The way he bares his fangs at Skeppy is beyond menacing. 

Skeppy takes another step back.

This is clearly the wrong thing to do because it seems to anger the creature even more. Ranboo snarls, and he lets out this deep screech that Endermen make when they are furious and about to teleport and about to _destroy_ whoever dared to look at them – and Skeppy knows that, right now, it is him.

He isn’t certain whether he can fight off the kid, whether he can make himself raise a hand – gods forbid a sword – against Ranboo. He really doesn’t want to find out.

The kid comes closer to him, mouth open in a furious grimace that reveals sharp teeth, and his purple eyes are still full of anger – and yet so fucking void of anything that’s _Ranboo_ – and Skeppy presses his eyes close, waiting for the collision, waiting for the pain.

It doesn’t come.

Ranboo’s growl changes into something that sounds like a hiss – a warning sound. Skeppy dares to open one eye, and he notices the way the purple eyes are no longer focused on him but rather on something behind him.

“Ranboo,” Bad says, his voice completely devoid of the warmth it normally holds, “Back off.”

The creature – Ranboo? – snarls at him and shows his teeth. Bad moves forward, until he reaches Skeppy, until he is close enough to hold Skeppy’s shoulder and shove him behind him.

“Bad,” Skeppy begins, “He isn’t-”

“I know,” the demon interrupts him, not looking away from the child – from his charge. “Are you okay?”

Skeppy nods mutely. Bad must see it on the corner of his eyes – or maybe he hears the motion – because he relaxes ever so slightly. He stays in front of him, though, and continues staring into the kid’s unblinking eyes. Ranboo’s growl morphs into a hissing sound.

“Ranboo,” Bad says in a low voice. And then he continues speaking, but it is not their language anymore. It is the same language Bad had spoken when he’d promised to stay by Skeppy’s side forever. The same language he sometimes spoke when he called on End powers. A language that, visibly, Ranboo understands.

Because he responds. The purple eyes blink, for the first time, and the kid rapidly shouts back a blend of sounds that Skeppy cannot hope to comprehend.

Bad tenses at whatever is said – his shoulders reach his neck, and his response is louder, and it sounds angry. Ranboo snarls and protests, but Bad is unrelenting. He keeps speaking, keeps spitting sounds that form words Skeppy cannot understand, until Ranboo lets out a long, distressed whimper.

“Ranboo?” Skeppy calls worried, and the kid whines in answer, “Bad, stop. He isn’t-”

Bad doesn’t listen. He barks a last sound, and Ranboo freezes completely. He falls.

There’s a scream on Skeppy’s lips, a shout that doesn’t get the chance to be expressed, because Bad acts immediately – as if he had known it would happen, and he is there to break the kid’s fall.

“What the fuck?” Skeppy whispers, “What the actual fuck?” Bad doesn’t scold him for the curse, and that’s how he knows that it is serious. “What the fuck just happened, Bad?”

The demon shakes his head. “Not now. Not here.”

Skeppy looks around for a green flash, but there’s nothing. Just rubbles, stones, and the burning flag.

“We need to take him home,” Bad continues. “Quick.”

Skeppy doesn’t protest. He trusts Bad blindly, as he always does, and he leans in to take the kid in his arms. Bad nods at him and grabs his sword in one hand. The other comes to rest on Skeppy’s back, a comforting presence.

“Home,” he repeats, and Skeppy obeys.

* * *

When they reach home, Skeppy thinks to himself that it is the third time that he has carried Ranboo to this very mansion, and that he would very much like that not to become a habit. He carefully lays the kid on the couch, and Bad lets go of his sword.

“What happened?” he asks, and he is almost expecting Bad to ignore him and keep all of his focus on Ranboo, but it isn’t the case. Bad stares right into his eyes.

“He wasn’t himself,” he says. Skeppy nods. He had gotten that far by himself. “He was… sleepwalking, somehow. His instincts were fully controlling him.” Skeppy cherishes the fact that Bad fully trusts him now, that he tells him everything. And then, he notices the way tension settles in Bad’s jaw, and something like rage starts shining in the demon’s eyes, “Someone put him into a trance.”

Skeppy doesn’t want to ask. “Someone?”

“Dream,” Bad answers “It has to be him.”

Skeppy bites his tongue deeply, fights off the urge to go kill the man himself, and he looks at Bad.

“How can you be sure?” he asks. Bad shrugs.

“I’ll ask Ranboo,” he says as if it were that simple. Maybe it is.

“Yeah, he is a little _out_ , right now,” Skeppy responds with a nervous chuckle. Bad doesn’t laugh.

“No, he isn’t.” His face turns back toward the kid and his eyes glow brighter as he pronounces a single guttural syllable.

Ranboo’s red and green eyes blink awake.

How the fuck-?

Skeppy doesn’t question it, doesn’t harass Bad about his powers, doesn’t even think of wanting that piece of Ranboo’s puzzle, because the kid is awake, and clearly so incredibly confused. He looks between the two of them, eyes darting around.

“Where am I?” he asks, “What happened?”

Skeppy blinks. “Hm, I think that we were hoping that you would explain, dude.” There’s a cold hand on his shoulder – Bad’s, a calming and comforting presence. It squeezes gently.

“I wasn’t,” Bad declares simply, and Skeppy blinks a few times in confusion. “You weren’t yourself. It makes sense you wouldn’t remember.”

Ranboo looks to Bad and there’s a plea in the middle of his confusion. Skeppy feels for him, feels the same way actually. Bad needs to explain.

“What did Dream do?” Skeppy insists, and he tries not to panic when Ranboo flinches at the name. Shit. That isn’t good. That isn’t good at all. “Kid?”

“How do you know?” the boy asks immediately, “I’m sorry, I promise. I tried to get rid of it, I tried not to listen to it, but it keeps-”

“Ranboo.” Bad’s voice is so incredibly calm and gentle, but his eyes are shining with fury. “Ranboo, we aren’t mad at you.”

The boy doesn’t seem to believe it. His entire body is shaking and he’s avoiding Bad’s eyes, as if looking into them would further antagonize the demon. Is this something he learned after years spent in the End, with Endermen as his only companions?

Skeppy feels cold – with dread and with how much he _feels_ for the kid – but he is also burning with rage at the thought of what Dream might have done to Ranboo. He feels cold, and yet he is burning. It makes no sense. Bad’s presence next to him is the only thing that keeps him stable. That, and the knowledge that he needs to be here calm for Ranboo.

“We aren’t mad,” he confirms. His voice sounds hoarse and foreign, even to him. He feels like he isn’t really in control of his body. He wants to hold Ranboo in his arms as much as he wants to strangle Dream for putting this fear in the red and green eyes. “Kid, you gotta talk to us.”

Ranboo shakes his head. “I tried to get rid of it!” he repeats in a high-pitched voice, “I tried to stop hearing it. I’ve never- I’ve never even met Dream. He doesn’t- He never talks to me, but the-” He swallows thickly and Skeppy can almost see the lump in the boy’s throat, the way Ranboo is trying to blink away his tears.

“But the voice is here,” Bad says. He sounds incredibly calm and yet so deadly. Ranboo nods frantically and he hides his face in his hands. “What does it tell you?”

Ranboo shakes his head again, and he brings his knees to his chest. He clearly is too shocked to answer, and Skeppy throws Bad a disagreeing look.

“What does it make you do?” Bad asks again, and Skeppy scowls.

“Bad,” he warns, “Not now.”

There’s a glint of protest in the demon’s eyes, and Skeppy can tell everything his best friend is feeling. The fury. The worry. The dread.

“What does it-” 

Skeppy places himself between Bad and Ranboo, a clear obstacle that stops Bad from looking at the child. It interrupts the interrogation, prevents him from continuing.

“Not now, Bad,” Skeppy hisses. The demon looks like he might strike him, might try to punish him for separating him from his charge, but Skeppy does not bulge. Bad blinks a few times before the tension disappears from his shoulder.

“Sorry,” he says quickly, and Skeppy’s face softens. “I’m sorry, Skeppy, I don’t know-” Skeppy smiles forgivingly.

“You’re worried for him,” he tells his best friend. “It’s okay.” He moves in and presses their foreheads to each other for a second. “We’re doing this together, though.”

Bad nods against him. His body is trembling lightly. Not as much as Ranboo’s had been – far from it, but it is clear that Bad had been shocked by the episode too. Skeppy wishes he could just take him and the boy and go far, far away, where Dream can’t get to either of them.

He steps back but reaches a hand to cup Bad’s cheek.

“Hey,” he says, “Look at me.” Bad does. “Go… Go get Techno and Phil. Go through the Nether.” There’s a protest on Bad’s lips but Skeppy doesn’t give him time to voice it. “I’ll keep him safe.”

Bad looks at him and there’s uncertainty in his eyes. Skeppy tries not to feel hurt by it.

“I promise,” he says, and the hint of resistance in Bad’s eyes fades, “You trust me, right?”

Bad nods. “Of course I do,” he whispers, “It’s just…”

Skeppy places a hand on the demon’s shoulder and squeezes gently. It’s a comforting touch as much as it is a promise.

“Bad,” he whispers, “Trust me.”

Bad nods. There’s fondness and a hint of _something else_ in his eyes.

“I do, Skeppy,” he says in a murmur. “Always.”

“Then we need Techno.”

Bad nods. He accepts it without asking questions, and he turns back to Ranboo. There is kindness in his eyes now, rather than a lust for violence. He kneels by his side.

“My prince,” he whispers, and Ranboo stares at him, wide-eyed, “Skeppy will keep you safe, but…” His eyes illuminate and his hands fill with purple energy. Bad whispers a few words in the tongue they speak. Ranboo frowns.

“What did you say?” Ah. So he doesn’t understand their language if he isn’t in that strange trance… Skeppy puts that piece of Ranboo’s puzzle aside.

“Nothing important,” Bad says, and one of his hands reaches up and caresses the kid’s cheek. “These wards should keep you safe while I’m away.” He stands back up and exchanges a long look with Skeppy. There’s a hand against his chest now, pressed right to his heart. They listen to the beating together. “I’ll be here if you need me,” Bad promises.

And Skeppy believes him. He trusts him. He always does.

They look as Bad leaves, both quietly watching as the demon steps away from the mansion. Only when he is fully gone, does Skeppy gently usher the kid back inside the house and toward the couch.

Skeppy tries not to think about how much trust Bad is putting into him, to leave him alone with his charge, with the prince of his people. He feels proud, but mostly he feels so much love toward his best friend.

“So-” Skeppy starts as he sits heavily on the couch, next to Ranboo. The kid sighs.

“I don’t remember much,” he says immediately, letting out a self-deprecating laugh, “It’s going to be disappointing.”

Skeppy blinks. “Hmm… I was going to ask if you wanted to play some board games, but I guess…” He scrunches his nose. “Do you want to speak about it?”

Ranboo stares at him like he can’t believe his words. Skeppy gives him a reassuring smile. He stays very still, so the kid doesn’t feel threatened in any way.

“You can’t be serious…” Ranboo mutters. Skeppy knows exactly what he means, but he chooses to play dumb.

“What? You don’t like board games? Come on, kid, you’re hurting me there!” That gets a very quiet chuckle out of the child’s mouth and Skeppy has never felt so proud and accomplished. Maybe he has found a new calling in making the kid laugh. Maybe that can replace the pranks on Bad.

Scratch that. He enjoys the pranks way too much. Maybe he can have _two_ hobbies now.

Ranboo’s smile falls from his lips as he looks at his own hands, observes the soot that’s left there.

“What did I do?” he asks, in a voice so quiet and fragile that Skeppy wonders if the truth is going to break him.

He doesn’t know how to deal with the truth. He spent so many years by Bad’s side, pretending not to see everything that his best friend was hiding from him, yearning for the truth and yet accepting that Bad wasn’t ready to share it.

The truth can be ugly. Sometimes the picture on the finished puzzle is not as beautiful as the colorful blend of unattached pieces. The truth can hurt.

Skeppy doesn’t want to hurt Ranboo.

“I-” There is a lump in his throat. “Not much, you just-”

There’s a plea in Ranboo’s eyes, and Skeppy discovers that the kid seems to have the same power over him as Bad does. He can’t say no to him.

He doesn’t want to say no to him. Not when he knows what it feels like to so desperately crave the truth.

“You were burning a flag,” he says – Ranboo’s breath hitches in his throat – “That big L’Manberg flag at the bottom of the crater.”

Ranboo’s voice is hoarse when he speaks. “Why?”

Skeppy shrugs and he moves to look at him. He hesitates but the kid does not flinch when he raises his hand, so he puts it on his shoulder.

“I have absolutely no idea, dude,” he says. Ranboo snorts mirthlessly.

“Did I- Was I violent?” Skeppy bites the inside of his cheeks. Maybe it would be better if they were playing board games.

“Not really,” he says, and he looks away from the kid as he continues, “You mostly… You were unresponsive.”

“Was I violent?” Ranboo asks again.

“You tried to be,” Skeppy responds. He still avoids Ranboo’s look, “When I spooked you. You came toward me and you tried to-” He shakes his head, not finishing that thought. “Bad stopped it.”

Ranboo curses, and Bad isn’t there to scold him. Skeppy doubts that he would.

“So I’m dangerous to others,” the kid mumbles, and it seems like it’s more to himself than to Skeppy. “Great. Fantastic. Amazing.” Skeppy swallows thickly.

“A lot of people are,” he says, and he forces a chuckle. “This is why everyone is so heavily armored all the time.” Ranboo shakes his head.

“Most people don’t have Dream’s voice in their head.”

Ah. There it is.

“What does he tell you?” Skeppy asks gently. It’s the same question as Bad’s but, this time, Ranboo seems ready to share. Maybe. He shrugs.

“I don’t remember much,” he says, “Mostly it’s taunts. He tries- He wants to convince me that I’ve been working with him. That I’m a bad person.”

And if Skeppy didn’t want to kill Dream before, now he does.

“You’re not a bad person, kid,” he says quickly, “This man is full of shit.”

Ranboo laughs wetly and rubs his eyes. Skeppy wants to take him in his arms and hug the hurt away.

“You don’t really know me that well,” the kid points out. Skeppy shrugs.

“Don’t care. Bad trusts you and cares about you. So does Techno, apparently, and the man has a hard time trusting anyone. My two best friends like you, so you’re all right by my book.” He hesitates before he turns to look at the kid. His voice is softer when he continues. “You’re more than all right.”

Ranboo flushes a little and he looks away. Skeppy does too. But still, the tension is a bit less present in the house.

“Wanna play some board games?” Skeppy asks. Ranboo smiles.

“Sure.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyyyyy-
> 
> I'm super excited to see what y'all think of the Endwalk as displayed here!! 
> 
> Now the boys know about the voice. Things are getting Spicy! Next chapter will focus on Techno, since Skeppy was so adamant that Bad goes to get him from the tundra :))
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed the chapter!! Looking forward to seeing what you thought :))
> 
> \-----
> 
> On completely other news, and for those of y'all that are interested: I finally finished writing "Diamond in the Rough"! :)) This is the second part of my and Silver's Vampire AU, and the sequel to "Ruby in the Moonlight" that Silver wrote.  
> I still need to revise it, though, and I will most likely wait until PoE is completely published to release it, so y'all will still have to wait a bit for that to happen. In the meantime, though, I encourage you to go re-read the masterpiece that Silver wrote and all of the excellent Prequels she also put in :))


	13. Defending What’s Precious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Is it a hobby of yours to collect what belongs to me, Technoblade?” The Piglin does not repress the growl that comes from the back of his throat. “First Tommy, then the boy too?”  
> Techno doesn’t reply. He shifts a little to stand a bit more in front of the door, a clear obstacle between Dream and the kid he has apparently come to retrieve. Dream takes his silence as a response.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Here is chapter 13, where things start looking Not Great at all! After weeks of plotting, Dream finally makes a move. 
> 
> Thank you all for all of the comments!! I appreciate each and everyone of them
> 
> Enjoy!!!

Skeppy is  _ annoying _ .

A pain in the ass.

Not only does he want Techno to be a babysitter for some goddamn kid he found on the side of the road – some kid who turned out to be a  _ prince _ , the one thing that Techno opposes – now he wants him to be some kind of private teacher.

As if Techno had enough free time.

He does. He really does, and Phil tells him so when Techno tries to use that excuse to get out of Skeppy’s request.  _ You spend hours feeding your turtles and talking to Carl, mate. Surely, you’ve got enough time for the lad. _

Damn Phil.

He doesn’t understand.

Or maybe he understands all too well that Techno is desperately trying to distance himself, desperately trying to create some kind of barrier between him and Ranboo, because he can sense that he is starting to  _ care _ .

He had been petrified when the kid was nowhere to be found. He had looked everywhere in the tundra, had sent Phil flying over the nearby villages, and had started searching the woods by himself, praying that he would not see a flash of green.

And when Bad had found them, Techno had shoved all of his worry down and tried to act annoyed and bored. He had pretended to protest when Bad had rushed them through the Nether and on their way to the mansion.

And even when he had faced the kid, he had tried to hide the relief on his face. He had ignored the warmth in his chest at the sight of Ranboo laughing together with Skeppy as they placed cards on the table. He hadn’t mentioned the fondness he had felt when Ranboo had turned upon noticing their entrance and had smiled at them. Phil had seen it, but he hadn’t said a word.

Phil knows way too much, and that’s annoying.

Not as annoying as Skeppy though.

Skeppy had stared up to him, eyes uncharacteristically serious, and he had asked about Techno’s voices. Phil had tensed next to him, and that had been all the answer the younger man might have wanted. He had continued quickly. Ranboo also had voices – one voice, actually, Dream’s voice – and the two men were the best placed to teach him how to ignore him.

Skeppy is  _ annoying _ .

He is annoying, because he is smart, despite spending his entire life seemingly trying to prove the contrary. He is reckless, and exasperating, and sometimes just beyond exhausting, but he is also extremely intelligent. He solves mazes and puzzles in a matter of minutes, and he can always foresee his opponent’s every move. If Skeppy decided to stop using all of his neurons to plan pranks and think about how much he loves Bad, he would be a terrifying force to reckon with. But he doesn’t.

Maybe that’s for the best.

Anyway, Skeppy is annoying. But he is also right.

Techno deals with hundreds of voices that command him to spill blood, and he manages to control them and ignore their demand for chaos on a daily basis. So Skeppy is right – Techno is most likely the best person to teach Ranboo how to deal with his situation.

But damn if it isn’t frustrating.

Because now, Techno is going to care even more for the kid, and he is going to want to punch Dream’s smirk off his face a bit more for every piece of information that Ranboo gives him.

And Gods, there is a lot.

Every time they speak, it seems like Techno finds yet another reason to hate Dream, yet another motive to want to protect the kid. He tries to pretend that he doesn’t feel that pull though, and he continues his tough and merciless instruction.

He teaches Ranboo how to ground himself, how to focus on everything but the voices. He teaches him the best way to drown the voices out. He shows him how to tire himself out enough so that he has no more energy to acknowledge the whispers in his head. He discusses how to separate the disembodied voices from the very real people around him.

Ranboo listens carefully, studies attentively. He takes all of Techno’s advice and criticism in stride. He never complains when Techno wakes him in the middle of the night, when he is at his weakest, and forces him to recite the grounding techniques. Sometimes, Techno notices the way the kid stiffens, and he instinctively puts a hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to destroy the invisible God that’s taunting him. But then Ranboo breathes in and out, in the exact rhythm Techno had taught him and, after a long moment, he relaxes again.

Techno feels proud, but he doesn’t say it.

Phil says it enough for the both of them anyway. He comes to sit by Ranboo’s side in the evening, after hours of lesson added to a few more hours of chores. He puts a bowl of soup on the table and gives the kid a reassuring smile. They speak in hushed voices, of Ranboo’s world and Phil’s adventures, and Ranboo’s fears and Phil’s regrets.

Techno doesn’t intervene. He just watches from afar, drinks his own soup, and thinks about how he so desperately wants to offer Phil and Ranboo a stable place to be.

The cabin, it turns out, is not stable enough, not safe enough.

Because Dream finds them, despite all of the traps Skeppy had installed, and despite all of the wards Bad had spent hours placing around the house. Dream walks over them as if they were nothing, and he approaches Techno with a relaxed pace. Techno holds his sword tight.

It takes an exchange of looks between the red eyes and the red and green and Ranboo is on his feet, scampering away to the basement. Phil is somewhere inside the cabin, Techno knows, so he will be able to be the last protection to stop Dream from getting to the kid.

Dream watches as Ranboo flees but he doesn’t make a move to pursue him. Not yet. The hunt will begin later, after the first barrier is taken down.

And the first barrier is Techno and his cold calculating gaze and his tight hold on his sword.

“Dream,” he greets in the same monotonous tone he always adopts, “I thought I made it clear that I do not enjoy visitors.”

Dream scoffs and ignores the bait. He doesn’t discuss Ranboo’s presence, or Bad and Skeppy’s regular visits to the tundra. Instead, his voice is a mix of amusement and irritation when he speaks:

“Is it a hobby of yours to collect what belongs to me, Technoblade?” The Piglin does not repress the growl that comes from the back of his throat. “First Tommy, then the boy too?”

Techno doesn’t reply. He shifts a little to stand a bit more in front of the door, a clear obstacle between Dream and the kid he has apparently come to retrieve. Dream takes his silence as a response.

“Lies won’t work this time,” he says in a honeyed tone that has all of the voices in Techno’s head go crazy, demanding that they slaughter the God immediately, “I am a patient man, Technoblade, but my patience is running low.”

Techno presses his lips together and he stares defiantly at the masked God. “Who spoke about lying?”

Dream’s lips stretch into a smile.

“So you’re admitting that he is here?”

Techno shifts a little bit on his weight, holds his sword a bit more obviously in front of him.

“I don’t know, Dream,” he responds, a threat in his voice, “Do you admit that you’re fucking with his head?”

Dream’s smile wilts and there’s now a dangerous expression on the bottom of his face. One that asks Techno not to get involved in Godly affairs. One that calls for Techno to take Phil and flee.

“This doesn’t concern you,” Dream says very slowly. This is Techno’s chance to turn back, to step away from the door, and to leave unharmed. He doesn’t move an inch.

“On the contrary,” he replies, “We feel very concerned.”

Dream tilts his head a little at the words. “We?”

“We,” Phil confirms from the roof of the cabin. He keeps his arrow firmly pointed in the God’s direction. Techno relaxes imperceptibly. Whatever the kid told Phil, it was enough to get the winged man to immediately take arms and come as reinforcement. He is Techno’s eyes in the sky, as he has always been.

Dream laughs. He wheezes, and his grip on his axe weakens. He moves to wipe a tear from behind his mask.

“This does not concern you,” he repeats, but this time there is hilarity, as well as the threat, in his voice, “I would have thought that you two were smart enough not to go directly against me.”

“Some things are worth it,” Phil states, extraordinarily calm. The tundra is so quiet that Techno can hear him carefully selecting his arrows. Dream scoffs, and he makes a cruel, cruel smile.

“And Wilbur wasn’t?”

Phil makes a low whine in the back of his throat and Techno growls. He moves his sword threateningly, staring at Dream and defying him, even though the God’s eyes are very clearly on the older man, taunting him.

“Wilbur was gone before I even arrived to the Overworld,” Phil states, voice hollow.

“Was he?” Dream teases, “Or were you too weak to get him back?” Phil makes a pained sound and the man continues. “What about Tommy? You let me play with him for weeks without raising a  _ finger _ .”

Phil lets out a deeply wounded sound - that of a father who knows that he has failed, that he has done wrong. Techno remembers Phil whispering to him about how terrified he had been when he had found out about the tower in Logstedshire. About the culpability yet the relief he had felt when Tommy had shown himself, weary and emaciated but  _ alive.  _

Dream is  _ playing _ with Phil.

Techno takes a step forward at that, swings his sword a little in the air.

“Stop trying to get into his head too,” he growls. Dream chuckles, an eerie and terrifying sound.

“I don’t need to,” he says, “All I need to do is take his children one by one. The new one? I’m interested in him.” He smiles, and Techno wants to punch him, “How long do you think until Phil fails to protect his kids again and Ranboo is back under my control?”

Techno snarls. “I won’t let you,” he promises in a low rumble. Dream will not touch Ranboo, and Dream will not hurt Phil. Not on his watch.

Dream sneers. “You think you can stop me?” he asks.

“I beat you once,” Techno reminds the God. Dream shakes his head in answer.

“In a fair fight. I pulled my punches.”

“You bluff.”

The smile widens under Dream’s mask.

“Do you want to find out?”

Techno does and doesn’t at the same time. He would much rather the man left – left him and his alone, but he knows it isn’t a choice. He feels a bit exhilarated to fight the God once more, even with the risk of Dream being honest, and of him being so much more powerful than Techno can imagine.

He hears Phil shifts on the roof and he is reminded that this isn’t only his decision. That, at the end of the day, Phil is here too. And that, in the heart of the house – at the heart of the problem – there is Ranboo. Hidden in the middle of a log cabin, in the place where Bad believed he would best be kept safe.

Techno knows that this isn’t the silly tournament he took part in, a few years ago, that the stakes are so much higher. He remembers Bad’s eyes, filled with worry, as he had accepted to let Techno be Ranboo’s last defense.

He can’t betray that.

“Phil,” he calls very calmly, though his voice is a little strained, “You ready?”

There’s a bit more shifting on the roof and then Phil’s voice:

“Always, old friend.”

Techno nods and his fingers clench on his sword. “Now!” he calls, and an arrow flies by Dream’s head as Techno leaps. Dream parries immediately and the swords clash. There’s a rictus on the God’s face now.

“Are you sure about this, Technoblade?” he grunts as they start trading off swings and attacks, “Is this how you want to die?”

“Who spoke about dying?” Techno growls, and he dodges Dream’s hit, resettles in an attacking stance, and strikes again. There are arrows raining around them, but Techno does not fear for his life for a second. He trusts Phil’s skills, knows that his friend will not allow him to come to harm.

He ignores the arrows and continues fighting, looking for any flaws in Dream’s defense, carefully analyzing every step the man takes for a weakness. He continuously blocks his attacks, and the failure to hit him seems to make the God angry and leads him to a first mistake.

Dream curses and Techno’s eyes dart to the man’s shoulder and notices the arrow that is now embedded right below the man’s collarbone.

Gods cannot bleed, and there’s blood dripping from the wound.

Techno feels a bit more confident as he jumps to avoid another furious strike. They can do it. They can protect Ranboo.

Dream lets out a furious scream and suddenly the air is purple and tense and both Techno and Phil are thrown away by a blast of energy. Techno coughs violently when his back hits the wall of the cabin and he immediately turns to look at Phil, who flew away from the blow.

“What the fuck?” Techno murmurs. The sudden explosion of power is one thing, but the fear and the recognition in Phil’s eyes is another. This is terrifying.

“What have you done?” Phil calls to Dream, and there’s a mix of grief and rage on his face. The God laughs dementedly.

Techno staggers back up, but Phil’s immediate outstretched hand stops him from jumping back into the fight.

“Don’t-” the winged orders, his eyes not leaving Dream, “He wasn’t bluffing.”

“What?”

Phil grits his teeth and he moves to be by Techno’s side. “He wasn’t bluffing,” he repeats, “He has Godly powers.” Techno grunts as he stands up and Phil is immediately there to stabilize him.

“How did he do that?” he asks, “The blast?”

Phil’s tone is grim. “That’s what I would like to ask too.”

Dream smiles at them from the distance. “A magician doesn’t reveal his secrets,” he teases. Phil curses.

“You took it from the End,” he says, “This-” He gestures around, at the tense, otherworldly energy surrounding the God, “This isn’t yours. This is from the End.”

“And what if it is, Philza?” Dream calls, “What are you going to do about it?”

Phil’s face suddenly freezes in shock as he comes to another realization. “You killed her,” he says, voice hollow, “It was you.”

Dream laughs, and Techno remembers in a flash the vision of his friend grieving for something he couldn’t name. He recalls Tommy and Wilbur’s incapacity to help the man mourn for something that neither they nor he could envision. He is reminded of hours taking care of the kids while Phil stared at the night sky, looking so incredibly lost.

And Dream caused this grief?

He moves forward, sword in his hand. “I don’t care what happened,” he says slowly, “But you can bleed, so I can kill you. And I will.”

Dream laughs louder and Phil’s breath hitches. “Techno don’t-” he starts.

“You have seen  _ nothing _ , Technoblade,” the masked man chides, “You should have taken your chance to run when I gave it to you.” He takes one step forward and he is surrounded by the same purple fire that sometimes appears in Bad’s hands, when the demon uses his powers. Techno feels a shiver run down his spine.

“What are you?” he breathes.

Dream smiles. “A God,” he says.

“A Godslayer,” Phil spits from behind Techno. Dream stares at him. He tuts softly and shakes his head.

“Philza, Philza, Philza,” he chides slowly, in that same velvet voice, “No one is allowed to  _ know _ that.”

“What are you going to do?” the winged man asks. Dream hums and he takes another step forward. One that has Techno immediately move to stand in front of his friend.

“I’ll watch you burn,” Dream says.

And suddenly there is nothing but pain.

Techno can’t see anything but darkness, and his entire skin is burning. Purple flames are scorching through his armor, getting to his body, and seeping through. It feels like his organs are melting from the inside, like he can’t even move, can’t even scream to express the pure suffering he is experiencing. He distantly hears Phil moaning in pain and he imagines that Dream must have attacked them both.

He can’t focus on that, though, can’t begin to think about how to escape from the purple clouds that surround them and threaten to kill them, because his entire being is focused on the raw pain. There’s nothing but the burning sensation and the knowledge that he is going to die.

He cannot even think of Ranboo, cannot even feel regret for having failed to protect him. He can only think of the present, can only recognize the fact that he is going to die, right there, in front of his cabin. He is going to burn in the snow.

And then, with the same suddenness it had appeared, the feeling passes.

Techno blinks from the cold ground, barely aware enough to notice the absence of the purple clouds that almost took his and Phil’s lives.

“Get away from them.”

Bad.

Dream’s not laughing anymore. He has moved his focus away from the lowest threat and onto Bad. His hands shine with the very same purple fire that illuminate Bad’s.

“Bad,” Dream greets in a polite tone, so far from the murderous one he had adopted earlier, “I did not expect to see you here.”

“Get away from them,” Bad repeats, his voice cold and menacing. Dream doesn’t seem threatened, though. He just tilts his head to the side, as if he were suddenly understanding the situation.

“You know the boy,” he says, and there’s a smile floating on his lips, “You asked Technoblade to keep him safe for you.”

“You won’t touch him,” Bad hisses. There is so much confidence in his voice. It is not a threat; it is a fact. Bad will die before he allows Dream to touch Ranboo. And Bad has no intention of dying.

Techno grunts as he stands back up, and he is quick to be by Phil’s side, hauling the other man to his feet. They do not exchange a word. Their eyes do all the speaking for them. They check on each other, search for wounds, for any signs of the flames that almost devoured them. Once Techno feels reassured that his friend is relatively unharmed, he focuses on the scene.

“Where is Skeppy?” Dream asks, passing his axe from one hand to the other. The tone is teasing, almost as if Dream knew something that Techno ignores. It is important knowledge though, because the simple mention of the man makes Bad flinch.

“Away,” he spits, “Safe. Where you can’t get to him.” Dream’s head turns toward the cabin and his smile widens.

“You sent him to be with the boy,” he corrects. “Wise. Or a terrible mistake.”

“Don’t,” Bad snarls.

“I’ll get to them both at once.”

Bad takes a step forward, toward the man – the God? – and his white eyes shine brightly.

“You won’t touch them,” he repeats. “Not Skeppy. Not Ranboo. They’re under my protection.” Dream laughs, a low, bone-chilling laugh that has Techno tighten his grip on his sword.

“Oh, Bad,” he says, his voice chiding, “You can’t stop me.”

Techno moves forward. He hears Phil’s wings flap behind him, and he thanks the Gods that his friend is so intelligent and that years fighting together have taught them to communicate without saying a word.

“We can slow you down,” he drawls as he stands by Bad’s side and tries not to remember the time when they were on opposite sides, when Bad had taught him true fear. He sees the demon glance in his direction before turning his focus back onto the man. His jaw is clenched in determination.

“Slow me down?” Dream repeats, amused, “And then what? I’ll slaughter you both, and then what, Technoblade?” He looks toward the house, where Phil had flown, where Skeppy is most likely comforting Ranboo. “You think that  _ they _ will be enough to keep me away from the kid? From the prince?”

There’s a low growl emanating from Bad’s throat.

“You won’t touch them,” he says once again. A promise. Dream laughs.

“Come stop me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whelp. 
> 
> One comment, a while ago now, hoped that we would get some Badass Bad. There you go. 
> 
> I'm super excited to hear y'all's reaction to this!!! What did you think? 
> 
> Thanks for reading :))


	14. Running

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We take everything we need.” He exhales deeply. “And then we flee.”  
> Skeppy nods. He stands back up and turns to Ranboo. “Come,” he says quickly, holding out his hand.  
> Ranboo shakes his head. “No.”  
> What.  
> “What?” Phil whispers.  
> “I can’t let you guys sacrifice yourselves for me,” he says, “I can’t let Techno and Bad die just because…” – his voice cracks – “Because I’m what? The heir to a bunch of deserted islands in the sky?” Phil’s breath hitches in his throat and he moves to answer but Ranboo doesn’t give him the chance. “You know I’m right, Phil! At the end of the day, you came back here too! Whatever there is out there, it is not worth it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Thank you all so much for all the comments on yesterday's chapter. I was so happy to see how excited y'all were for the confrontation! 
> 
> Today, we are back with Skeppy, who is hiding with Ranboo, in Techno's cabin. And they make an Important decision.
> 
> Enjoy!!

Skeppy doesn’t think that he has ever had to make a harder decision.

_ We’re together _ , Bad had promised once,  _ Forever. Whatever happens. _

But they’re not together right now. Skeppy stares out of the window of the cabin, the very same way he has been ever since Bad approached the battle scene and, in one snap of his fingers, stopped the purple clouds from killing Techno and Phil.

They had taken a second to locate Ranboo once they had arrived in the cabin, undetected by Dream. Bad had whispered protective spells, had cupped the boy’s face in his hand, and had sworn that he would protect him. Then he had turned to Skeppy.

“Take him away,” he had said.

“Bad, no-” Skeppy had tried to protest. But Bad’s voice had been firm and his eyes even more so.

“Promise me,” he had whispered, “Promise me that you’ll keep him safe.”

Skeppy has never been able to say no to Bad, and he had been unable to do so, once again.

He stares out of the window, thinks of Bad’s promise that they would never be separated, and wonders if the demon is about to break it.

He doesn’t even know if Bad’s promise can be broken, if the spell they had used to link their souls together can be undone. He doesn’t know enough about demon magic and has never cared enough to learn it. What mattered was that he was Bad’s, and Bad was his, and they were to never be apart.

But now Bad wants them to be.

Skeppy feels like he could scream, feels like he should be on the battleground, with Bad, defending his best friend, and defending the kid they have claimed as theirs.

But Ranboo is behind him, shaking, and Skeppy has to keep him safe. He is their last resort, if Dream somehow manages to–

He doesn’t want to think about it, doesn’t even want to admit to himself that Bad or Techno could maybe die. Technoblade has never lost a fight ever in his life, and Bad is a demon. Demons cannot die.

Dream cannot beat them, and yet the panic in Bad’s eyes had said otherwise.

Skeppy forbids himself from letting fear overtake him. He has to be strong for Ranboo.

There is noise upstairs, steps on the wooden floor, and Skeppy holds his sword extremely tight. Is Dream here already?

Skeppy knows that he has no chance of killing the man, not in a lifetime, not when Dream is the most powerful person he’s ever met, one that managed to subdue Bad. He knows there is no way. This will not stop him from trying, though, from putting all his strength in protecting the kid.

He looks to Ranboo’s terrified eyes and presses a finger to his lips. They need at least the advantage of the surprise if they want to be able to fight Dream off.

“Ranboo?”

Skeppy relaxes immediately. This isn’t Dream’s voice. This is Phil’s.

“Philza!” he calls in a whisper, “Downstairs!” There are hurried steps above them, and Phil is standing in front of them.

“Ranboo,” he asks quickly, blue eyes full of panic, “How are you?”

The kid makes a hysterical sound. “How am I?” he repeats, “He tried to kill you!”

Phil presses his lips together and he looks out of the window, to where Bad and Techno are battling a man with Godly powers and trying to hold him down.

“He shouldn’t have these powers,” Phil says grimly, “They’re from the End.” Skeppy swallows thickly and he remembers a piece of the puzzle.

“They’re his mother’s,” he says, “Ranboo’s mother’s.” The kid’s eyes dart to him, and he stares at him, dumbfounded. “Bad said…” Skeppy bites his lips and tries to remember his friend’s exact words. “He said that Dream stole her energy, back in the End,” he mumbles, “And that he wanted Ranboo for power.”

Phil lets out a nervous chuckle. “You’ve got some kind of hidden powers you want to reveal, mate?” he asks, and Ranboo shakes his head, stunned.

“I don’t- I don’t think so,” he says, “I don’t remember. I don’t- I’m not sure.” Skeppy moves in to press a comforting hand on the kid’s shoulder.

“It doesn’t matter,” he says, “Even if you did, you’re not fighting him.” He bites his own tongue so hard it hurts. He has to force the next words out: “We’re running.”

“What?”

He isn’t sure if Ranboo or Phil asked the question, or if both of them did. He clenches his eyes shut.

“Trust me,” he says, “I never thought I would say that either. But we’re leaving. Now.” He hears movement and Phil’s voice is a little farther away. He is staring out of the window again, Skeppy guesses.

“No,” Phil protests immediately, “We are not leaving them behind.” There are tears pricking at Skeppy’s eyes, but he forbids them from falling.

“We are,” he replies, “Bad made me promise to do it.”

“What the fuck?” Phil mutters.

“And Techno would want you to do it too. To keep him safe.”

They stare at each other and, for a second, Skeppy thinks that Phil is actually going to fight him. He doesn’t know the man well enough, beyond knowing that his and Techno’s friendship goes back to years before Skeppy even met Techno. But Phil knows Techno, and Skeppy does too. They both know that Techno would not let any of them, including Ranboo, get hurt.

Phil curses and he runs a hand through his hair. “I need to go back,” he mumbles, more for himself than for Skeppy or Ranboo.

“No,” Skeppy responds, “You can’t help them.” He bites the inside of his cheeks again and looks as the storm rages on above the battleground. “Trust me, I wish I was there too.”

Phil paces in the house, and Ranboo follows his movements with a worried look.

“He won’t… kill them, will he?” the kid asks, his voice soft and hardly hiding any of the fear that he feels. That they all feel.

Phil stops in his steps and he turns to look at Skeppy. “Can demons die?” he questions.

Skeppy clenches his fists together and he looks down to the stone floor. Can demons die? He listens to the frenetic beatings of his heart and he is afraid of the answer.

“I don’t know,” he admits, “Bad isn’t- He linked his life to me.”

Phil frowns. “So if he dies, you die?” he asks carefully. It seems like he is expecting Skeppy to fall down at any second, now. Skeppy shakes his head.

“The opposite way,” he corrects, “If I die, Bad has to follow.” That’s the way Bad had phrased it, an eternity ago, before they had promised their life to one another.

Phil curses and he starts pacing again, quickly followed by Ranboo’s careful eyes.

“That’s why he’s sending you away too,” he mutters, “Shit. He’s trying to protect you both by…” He trails off and looks at Skeppy again. “You didn’t respond. Can Bad die?”

Skeppy shakes his head, feeling the panic start to rise in him.

“I don’t know!” He buries his face in his hands. “Fuck, Phil, I don’t know!” He has no idea if he said his last goodbyes to his best friend, if the words he pronounced to him as Bad stepped away – his injection to be careful – would be the last words he would ever tell him. There’s a growing lump in his throat, and Skeppy doesn’t know how to breathe anymore. He lets himself slide against the wall until he is sitting on the floor. “I don’t fucking know!”

He hears Phil curse again, but he cannot focus on it. He listens to Bad’s heartbeats, relishes in the fact that they are still present, that Bad is still alive.

“Okay,” Phil says slowly, “We need to get you two out.”

Skeppy looks up to him. “You’re coming?”

Phil makes a poor attempt at a smile. He looks so incredibly tired, so incredibly frail, and Skeppy remembers that this is a man who buried his son after killing him in an act of mercy.

“I’m not letting Dream touch him,” he says. Skeppy relaxes at the determination in the man’s eyes.

“Okay,” he breathes, “What’s the plan?”

Phil lets out a long sigh. “We- There are potions and armor sets, upstairs. We take everything we need.” He exhales deeply. “And then we flee.”

Skeppy nods. He stands back up and turns to Ranboo. “Come,” he says quickly, holding out his hand.

Ranboo shakes his head. “No.”

What.

“What?” Phil whispers.

“I can’t let you guys sacrifice yourselves for me,” he says, “I can’t let Techno and Bad die just because…” – his voice cracks – “Because I’m what? The heir to a bunch of deserted islands in the sky?” Phil’s breath hitches in his throat and he moves to answer but Ranboo doesn’t give him the chance. “You know I’m right, Phil! At the end of the day, you came back here too! Whatever there is out there, it is not worth it.”

He stands up tall – taller than Skeppy remembers – and he takes a few steps in the room, toward Skeppy.

“I’m not letting Bad die for me,” he says, boring his heterochromatic eyes into his, “It’s not worth it.”

Skeppy shakes his head. “He is your protector,” he whispers.

Ranboo scoffs. “He was meant to be. But he came here, too, like Phil. He came to the Overworld-”

“By force!” Skeppy protests. “Dream kidnapped him!”

“He came here,” Ranboo continues, a bit louder, “Whether he wanted it or not. And he made himself  _ your _ protector.” Skeppy feels like he could cry. “He isn’t responsible for me anymore. He linked his soul to yours.” He breaks the eye contact with Skeppy and looks to the window. “You’re the one he should be fighting for. Not me.”

“You’re his prince,” Skeppy protests in a weak voice. Ranboo laughs self-deprecatingly.

“The prince of a world I cannot remember. A world Bad cannot return to.” He shakes his head. “This is all stupid. My life isn’t worth theirs.” He moves toward the door. “Dream wants me. If I go…” – he lets out a chuckle, one that sounds more like a sob, and Skeppy suddenly realizes how much this is costing him. How scared Ranboo must be. He wants to stand up, to take the kid in his arms and keep him there, but he feels petrified. “If I go to him, he’ll spare them.”

Ranboo’s fingers touch the wooden door.

“No,” Phil calls. His voice is broken, and Skeppy doesn’t dare to look at his expression. “No, please.”

Ranboo shakes his head, keeps his eyes fixated on the door.

“I can’t let Techno die for me, Phil,” he says, “You don’t want that.”

“Please,” Phil begs, “I’ve already lost one son.”

Ranboo freezes at the words and Skeppy holds his breath. Phil takes a few shaking steps toward him, and he extends his hand.

“Please…” Phil asks again, and Ranboo looks like he is about to break. Skeppy exhales and steps forward, moving toward the kid. Bad’s kid. His kid. The one he would die for.

“Ranboo,” he says gently, “Check your journal.” The boy frowns, clearly not having expected that.

“My… journal?” he repeats. Skeppy nods.

“Check the second page.”

Ranboo’s hands tremble but he obeys. He goes for his pockets and retrieves a small leatherbound book. He throws Skeppy another hesitant glance before he opens it.

* * *

“Whatcha writing?” Skeppy asks as he leans over the couch to look at the kid. Ranboo scrambles to hide the pages of his book from him, and Skeppy tries not to feel hurt. He raises his hand in a surrendering motion. “Hey- it’s okay. I’m not looking if you don’t want me to.”

He notices the kid’s conflicted expression and offers him a reassuring smile.

“It’s okay,” he says again, “You keep secrets. That’s fine.”

Ranboo searches his face for any sign that he doesn’t actually mean it, that this is sarcasm, and that Skeppy is actually angry at him for hiding things.

“You don’t like secrets,” he murmurs, “You said so.” Skeppy shrugs.

“I don’t love them,” he admits, “Because having to constantly hide things hurt Bad a lot in the past.” He moves to sit next to Ranboo, on the couch. He stares at the fire rather than at the kid’s face and continues: “But I never pushed him to tell me anything about his past, and I won’t make you tell me anything about your book.”

He can feel Ranboo staring at him, but he doesn’t move. He gives the kid the opportunity to look as carefully as he wants.

“But I’ve- I’ve hidden really dangerous things,” Ranboo finally says. Skeppy hums.

“Have you?” he asks, “Like what?”

Ranboo gestures around the house wordlessly. Techno, Phil, and Bad are talking in hushed voices in the storage room downstairs. Skeppy had been invited to join the discussion but he had chosen to speak with Ranboo instead. Besides, he was tired from the few hours he had spent with Bad, walking around the grounds, in the snow. Bad had set up wards around the house, and Skeppy had installed traps. And now Techno has insisted that they do the inventory of his storage room, as if it would have changed much in the past week since they had done the last one. So Skeppy chose to stay with Ranboo instead. With Ranboo and his secrets.

“Like Dream,” the kid says, “Like how he was…” – he scrunches his nose – “… talking to me.”

Skeppy makes a pout. “Well- you did what you thought was best.” He turns his head to look to the kid. “We can’t blame you for not trusting us with that information.”

Ranboo frowns and he looks clearly conflicted. His hands clench and unclench on the book until he hands it to Skeppy.

“I trust you,” he says, “I trust you four.”

Skeppy blinks and he looks at the small leatherbound journal in his hands.

“Kid?”

“Check the second page,” Ranboo says, and he looks away as Skeppy opens the book.

“‘Friends,’” Skeppy reads aloud, “‘Phil, Techno, Tubbo, Bad, Skeppy. Unsure: Tom-’”

“The rest doesn’t matter,” the boy says, and Skeppy immediately stops reading. “It’s just- I trust you.”

Skeppy feels like his heart is about to melt.

“You consider us friends?” he asks with a small smile. Ranboo’s cheeks flush and Skeppy almost wants to call Bad, for his best friend to see how adorable the kid is. He knows this would be the wrong move, though. Ranboo is trusting him with this.

“Yeah-” Ranboo exhales, “Yeah, you-” He bites his lip. “You and Bad, I- I don’t really know  _ why _ exactly, but I know that you two can be trusted.”

Skeppy makes a sad smile and he moves to gently squeeze Ranboo’s shoulder.

“Bad would die for you, kid,” he says, “And I don’t know if he would let me, but I would too.”

Ranboo makes a choked sound, like he just breathed in a little too strongly, and he looks away. He blinks rapidly and Skeppy has to reign himself not to take the child in his arms.

“I- I don’t know if I deserve that,” Ranboo admits in a low voice. Skeppy speaks before he can stop himself.

“Kid, can I hug you?”

Ranboo’s head snaps toward him. “What?”

Skeppy gives him a reassuring smile. “You sound like you really need it,” he says, “And Bad says that I’m great at hugging.” He lets out a gentle laugh. “Can I hug you?”

Ranboo hesitates for a second before he gives a small nod. Skeppy doesn’t wait for further permission and he moves to embrace the child. Bad’s charge. Their kid.

The hug is awkward at first. Ranboo is incredibly lanky and it’s not easy to hug when both people are sitting on a couch. But they make it work, and Ranboo melts in Skeppy’s arms. Skeppy takes a deep breath and closes his arms on the kid.

He knows that Bad’s protection was originally simply a duty, but it has become so much more. Skeppy owes nothing to the End, but he will do everything in his power to keep Ranboo safe. And, at the end of the day, even if Bad misses the End, Skeppy knows that his allegiance to the kid does not rest on  _ before _ . Ranboo isn’t part of  _ before _ anymore. He is part of their present.

“We’ll keep you safe,” Skeppy whispers, “I promise.”

* * *

“Check the second page,” Skeppy says again.

Ranboo does, and he looks back to them with wet eyes. Skeppy isn’t sure if the kid has just started crying or if he had been holding back his tears as he had walked toward the door – toward Dream.

“‘Friends’,” he reads, “‘Phil, Techno, Tubbo, Bad, Skeppy.’ Skeppy, I don’t–”

“Friends?” Phil repeats, and he sounds like he could start crying too.

“You told me that you trust us,” Skeppy says gently, “That you trust me and Bad.” Ranboo nods slowly and there’s a hint of recollection in his eyes.

“And you said-”

“I promised that we’d keep you safe,” Skeppy adds, “Whatever happens.” He looks into the kid’s eyes. “I meant it. I still do.” He moves to cup Ranboo’s face in his hands. “Bad would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you.”

Phil chuckles behind them and he comes closer, until he can put a hand on Ranboo’s shoulder.

“And Techno would kill me if I let Dream touch a hair on your head.” He pauses and his blue eyes catch Skeppy’s. “Either of your heads, actually. Techno wouldn’t want you to die either, Skeppy.”

Skeppy hums in response, and he feels the tension leave Ranboo’s body.

“Okay,” the prince whispers, “Okay. Let’s run.”

Skeppy lets go of the kid’s face and he searches Phil’s eyes for instructions.

“You two stay down here,” the man says, “I’ll get us some weapons and potions. Skeppy, go through Techno’s chests. There should be food, and blankets. I don’t know how long we’ll be there, but we need to plan for a siege.”

“There?” Skeppy asks. Phil’s upstairs, but he speaks loud enough for them to hear his response.

“I found a place,” he says, “A few weeks ago. Well- I found it before, but…” He trails off on that thought before continuing. “Techno and I were going to use it if we ever needed to go into hiding. It’s safer than the cabin, and I doubt that Dream remembers it.” There’s a long sigh. “Even if he does, there are enough rooms for us to barricade ourselves and hide.”

Skeppy isn’t certain what Phil is talking about, but he doesn’t ask. He does as the older man asked and rummages through Techno’s chests, throwing as much food as he can into backpacks. He takes a few blankets and banners and they join the pile. Ranboo is by his side, silently reorganizing the bags, making them fit as much as physically possible, and making sure to balance the weights.

“How much do we need?” Skeppy calls.

“As much as you can carry.”

Skeppy stares at the three bags on the floor and looks to Ranboo, who gives him a small nod.

“We’re ready,” he says.

“Perfect,” Phil responds as he goes down the ladder. “So am I.” He approaches the bags and shoves several vials inside before he closes them. “One each,” he instructs. He walks around the room and pushes a chest with his foot, revealing a trapdoor. “Down there,” he begins, “Techno and I made a tunnel to it, just in case of-…” He shrugs and does not finish. “I guess it’s coming in handy.”

Skeppy gives the man a small nod, and Phil hesitates for a second. He moves to Ranboo, cups his cheek with one hand.

“We’ll keep you safe,” he murmurs, and the prince gives a small nod.

“I know.”

They exchange no more words and they go down the ladder and into the tunnel. It’s pitch-black, but Phil holds a torch, and their eyes get used to the darkness as they walk. Ranboo’s hand finds Skeppy’s. At first, they hold hands to stabilize each other and prevent any fall. Soon, though, it becomes a comforting gesture and, if Skeppy squeezes a bit too hard when they walk right under the battle site, when they hear Bad’s screams and Techno’s grunts, Ranboo doesn’t mention it.

They walk in complete silence, both in fear of being noticed by Dream, but also because there is nothing left to be said. They are running away. They are abandoning Bad and Techno to their fate, and they are running away for a chance at living, for a shot at keeping Ranboo alive.

Skeppy runs because Bad made him promise to. He listens to his heartbeat – to Bad’s heartbeat – and tries desperately to calm it down, to slow it down, just a little bit. He knows that Bad is exerting himself, though, and that, no matter what he tries, the situation is helpless.

He just prays that his heart continues beating for the two of them.

They eventually come to the end of the tunnel, and Phil ushers them up a ladder. Skeppy exchanges a look with Ranboo before he climbs up, knowing that Phil will bring up the rear.

With Phil not there yet, Skeppy has to squint to look around. He notices the stone bricks on the walls and the floor. Moss is growing on some of the walls, a clear sign that the structure has been here, abandoned, for far too long. The entire place is eerily quiet.

Ranboo climbs up after him, and Skeppy hears the kid’s breath hitch in his throat. He moves to offer his arm, and Ranboo squeezes it painfully, as if he knew the place. As if this reminded him of something.

“Well mates,” Phil’s voice says from behind them, “We made it. We are in the stronghold.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stronghold time!! :))
> 
> I'm very excited to see what y'all thought! The battle is still happening in the background but we have to focus on the boys running away. 
> 
> Thank you all for reading!!


	15. A Boy in a Stronghold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He stares at the emptiness in the portal and thinks. Right here, in this room, Bad took his first steps on the Overworld. This structure is the very first thing that Bad saw of Skeppy’s world.  
> He had been surrounded by enemies, had just been ripped away from his home, and this cold and dark place had welcomed him.  
> Skeppy understands why Bad had chosen to hate this world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Here we go again, with another chapter! This one tells us more about the End portal, and gives us some flashbacks to people who travelled through it :)) 
> 
> I want to thank y'all again for all of the comments! I'm really happy to see how excited you all are about the story :))
> 
> Enjoy!!

They walk in silence.

Skeppy lets Ranboo hold onto him as they follow Phil through the dark and silent hallways. The winged man clearly knows where he is going. He guides them quickly through the labyrinth of doors and tunnels, barely stopping to look at the more spacious rooms.

Skeppy thinks about the stronghold, and about the books he had read about it, after Bad had admitted to wanting to send Ranboo back to his world.

_ The term ‘stronghold,’ really, is a misnomer. The structure is less of a fortified location than it is a place of transition between two worlds. _

Skeppy isn’t certain he wants to make that transition, and he doesn’t know for sure that he would allow the kid that grasps onto him like a lifeline to make that transition either. He still doesn’t understand what the End is, or what it entails, but he knows for sure that Bad and Ranboo are both in this world, in his world, so it makes the End so much less better than the Overworld.

He doesn’t see the need to pass through a stupid portal and find the End, when he has already found his end.

Ranboo and Phil seem like they hold so much more respect for the portal than he does, though, because they both come to a stop when they enter the room in the stomach of the stronghold. If they had been quiet beforehand, they are now completely silent. Skeppy can barely hear them breathe. Ranboo’s hand falls from his arm as Skeppy takes a step forward, not trying to hold him back.

The lava hums on each side of the room but Skeppy focuses on the bigger lava pool and on the circle that floats above it. It doesn’t seem lit, judging by what Skeppy knows of Nether portals and what he has read about strongholds. The center of the circle should be glowing black – as paradoxical as it sounds – but it doesn’t. There’s nothing there, and no energy coming from the portal.

Skeppy climbs the stairs and he stares a bit more intently at the circle. There are twelve hollow frames that form the ring above the lava, and Skeppy distantly knows that they are empty for a reason. That they must be filled for something to occur. He blinks a few times and thinks of the Eyes of Ender, when he had first found them, shoved in a box in the mansion’s storage room.

There’s something that burns through his pockets, but he pays it no attention.

He stares at the emptiness in the ring and thinks. Right here, in this room, Bad took his first steps on the Overworld. This structure is the very first thing that Bad saw of Skeppy’s world.

He had been surrounded by enemies, had just been ripped away from his home, and this cold and dark place had welcomed him.

Skeppy understands why Bad had chosen to hate this world.

***

Bad trashes and snarls and screams bloody murder as he tries to free himself from the Hunters' merciless hold. Their grip does not loosen. In fact, it tightens a bit as they pass through the portal, as if they were making sure that he won’t attempt to escape as they are transported away.

The moment the world reappears around him, Bad falls to the ground. He feels dizzy and the whole room seems to be shaking. One of the Hunters shouts in surprise and they’re quick to kneel by his body.

He whimpers and takes his head in his hands. This is wrong. This is wrong. He should not be here; he has never been meant to be in this dimension. The ground is cold and more solid than the Endstone had been and there’s something  _ alive _ that is growing on the walls. Below them, a bright liquid is bubbling and Bad instinctively knows that it is as hot and dangerous as the Mother’s fire, even if it looks nothing like it.

He whines, and one of the Hunters shakes his shoulder.

“Hey- Hey- Are you okay?”

Bad snarls and snaps his teeth in the direction of the hand. It is removed immediately, and the Hunter takes a few steps back. Bad lets out a low growl from the back of his throat as he stares at the three figures above him.

He doesn’t feel confident that he won’t fall if he tries to stand up and fight. The world seems to be spinning around him and he is almost certain that he will faint if he exerts himself. This world, though, is wrong. He has to use his last remaining strength to go back through the portal and return to his land – to his prince.

He turns and stares at the glowing void. Before any of the Hunters can stop him, he pulls himself up the stairs and his arms shake under the effort. He just needs to let himself fall into the portal. Everything will be okay afterward. His balance will return in his own world, and the Endermen will be there to take him back to the prince. He just has to go a little further.

A gloved hand places itself right in front of him and he watches as the Eyes of Ender are ripped from their frame, one by one. The portal disappears after the first one is taken out, and Bad whimpers when the energy that was from  _ his world _ is fully gone. He scrambles for the man – for the hand, for the Eyes, but there are hands on his shoulders, holding him back and pushing him into the floor, where he cannot reach them.

He screams as the hand meticulously throws the Eyes into the burning liquid, one by one. Bad counts them, as they fall and immediately melt out of existence, and he  _ screams _ . The count reaches twelve and the man steps away from the ring.

“Why was that necessary?” one of the Hunters holding Bad to the ground asks. The other – the one who murdered the Mother and who just destroyed Bad’s chance at escaping – gives a shrug.

“There is no way back in now,” he says. “I guess someone could come through from the other side, but from our side? No one can reach the End again.”

Bad whimpers and he stops struggling. The hands on his shoulders relent, but he doesn’t attempt to move. He just lays on the cold ground. He can’t feel the Mother anymore, he can’t hear the heart of the End beating in every stone, and he cannot see the prince – his charge, the person he was meant to die for.

“You really don’t want anyone to go back?” one of the Hunters questions, “Sam would have been happy to explore the End. He’s been talking about it for years.”

The man – the murderer – shakes his head. “No. This place is our secret,” he says. It sounds so final – like an order. “None of us will speak of what happened today.”

“What? Why?”

“Don’t ask questions, George.” The murderer’s hands fill with the purple energy that belongs to the Mother, and Bad lets out a growl.

“What if they ask about him?” the other Hunter asks, and Bad knows that this is about him.

“They don’t have to know,” the man – their leader, visibly – responds firmly, “We keep this all quiet.”

“This makes no sense, Dream,” the second Hunter – the calmer one – comments. “They are our friends. They deserve to know.”

“And what do you think they will do to him when they learn that he is a demon? That he is from the most dangerous dimension there is?” There’s the sound of shifting behind him, but neither Hunter protests at that. “We have to protect him by keeping his origins secret.”

That reasoning sounds flawed, even to Bad’s ears and, surely, the Hunters must hear it too. But they don’t argue. 

“So we keep it all quiet?” one of them asks, voice low and already subdued, as if they knew it wasn’t a battle that they would win, “We tell no one that you slayed a dragon?”

The man nods, and he contemplates the purple glow around his hands. “Nobody needs to know.”

***

Phil steps out of the portal and he breathes in the Overworld’s air. Even in the middle of an underground fortress, he can feel the wind on his wings – a wind that is so absent from the End.

He turns and looks at the lava that bubbles below the empty ring. So, he had been right. Once he is out, and back in his world, there is no way back. The portal is unlit, and he doesn’t know how to bring it back - not without the right materials.

He knows about Nether Portals, about the right way to use a flint and steel to create the purple energy that links two worlds together. But an End portal? He stares at the circle and has to recognize how lost he feels.

He had found the Eyes of Ender in a chest near his portal - the one next to his home, the one he is familiar with. He doesn’t know how he is supposed to replicate them, to refill the desperately empty frames.

Besides, he has no time to experiment, no time to let himself mourn the world he had made his home. His son needs him.

Phil feels a pull, as powerful perhaps as the call to adventure, as the pull of his wanderlust. He needs to be by his son’s side. Phil doesn’t know where Wilbur is, but he  _ knows _ exactly where to find him.

He throws one last glance at the empty portal, at his only way back to his world of solitary exploration, and he gives it all up.

He should have done so a long time ago, he thinks. He should have abandoned his thirst for travel years ago, when his sons were still begging for their father’s presence in their life. He had refused to give it up then. He had ignored their pleas, and he had answered one call, and one call only. He had let himself be selfish.

They are not asking for him anymore, now, but they still need him.

Wilbur needs him.

Phil leaves the portal behind. He spreads his wings, and he flies to his son.

***

The first thing that Ranboo experiences upon leaving the End, upon freeing himself from his open-sky prison, is how  _ loud _ everything is.

The air is moving around him, hitting him in the face with  _ coldness _ , and there is a bright hot liquid that bubbles and hums below him and on either side of the room.

He is locked into something that looks like the black towers but is also the farthest away from them. The air feels wet and heavy and there are no Others staring deep into his soul as he takes a step forward.

He staggers and almost falls backward. The world isn’t stable, and the room seems to be spinning around him. He doesn’t have time to feel dizzy, though. The human has left. He walked through the portal and, visibly he has also abandoned this strange structure. Ranboo needs to find him.

There had been kindness in the blue eyes. Kindness and concern that had reminded Ranboo of something else, of glowing white eyes and high-pitched laughs. He has to find the human again. He yearns for the care that had shone in the eyes.

Ranboo ignores the way the world feels so strange around him. He feels like a baby animal learning to walk again. Still, he can’t let this stop him. He has spent years contemplating everything that he was missing, from his gilded cage in the End.

The world is open to him, now.

He is free.

Ranboo walks out of the stronghold and takes his first steps under the sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whelp, we've got a deactivated portal and Phil, Ranboo, and Skeppy in the portal room. 
> 
> Next chapter we go back to the present and try to make a Plan.
> 
> I am very excited to hear what y'all thought about the flashbacks!! This was another way to add just a little bit to the background of the characters as well as to pace us down a little bit, since the past few chapters were very condensed in action.
> 
> Thanks for reading :))


	16. Regrouping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil doesn’t let him finish. He stands up, alert, and his hands go to his bow.  
> “What?” Skeppy whispers, and Phil makes a movement for him to stay quiet. Skeppy presses his lips together but does not protest and immediately moves toward Ranboo. He gently touches the kid’s shoulder and, upon getting his attention, gestures toward the other end of the room. Ranboo widens his eyes but nods and follows him without a word.  
> They stay in the corner of the room, as far from the door as physically possible, and Skeppy grips his dagger as tightly as he can.  
> He exchanges a look with Phil before the older man nods and leaves the portal room. They stay immobile, in complete silence. Their exhale and the bubbling of the lava is their only constant for what seems like an eternity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!!
> 
> Let's all pretend that I've uploaded this chapter on time :))
> 
> Thanks everyone for the feedback on last chapter! 
> 
> Today, we return to the present and to the stronghold, and we have Visitors. 
> 
> Enjoy!!

This place is dull.

The books had referred to the stronghold so reverently. They had described the way history was written on their very walls, and they had spoken of the energy that emanated from the portal – the energy from the End in its purest form.

The walls are grey and boring and full of moss, and the portal is unlit. This place is boring. Skeppy sits on the stairs and pouts while Phil searches their bag and reorganizes their supplies. Ranboo is sitting by the lava, looking at the bright liquid silently.

“I don’t like this place,” Skeppy says for what seems like the millionth time. “We should go back.”

“Skeppy,” Phil warns, his voice firm, “Bad made you promise to keep Ranboo safe. This is our best bet at doing so.”

Skeppy glares at the older man.

“Maybe I don’t care about breaking my promise if it keeps my friends alive,” he protests, and Phil lets out a long sigh.

“They’re going to be okay,” he says, and Skeppy shakes his head.

“You don’t know that!”

“That’s right,” Phil confirms, and his voice cracks a little, “I don’t. But I have to trust them, right now. We don’t have much more.”

Skeppy closes his eyes, and he presses his hand to his heart. He listens to the beating of the hearts, takes comfort in the knowledge that Bad’s heart is still there, a brave little soldier that keeps on working, even as they are assaulted by a man with Godly powers.

“Yeah,” he says, and he counts the beats in his head. He goes to ten and then starts again, over and over again. “We don’t.”

“Skeppy,” Phil sighs again, and Skeppy looks up to catch the man’s serious expression. “I know you’re hurting but- You have to stay strong.” He very lightly gestures in Ranboo’s direction. The kid hasn’t moved from his position for hours; he is just staring at the lava in complete silence. Skeppy swallows thickly and nods.

He has to stay sane for Ranboo. He promised.

“Okay,” he mutters, “Then I say that we-”

Phil doesn’t let him finish. He stands up, alert, and his hands go to his bow.

“What?” Skeppy whispers, and Phil makes a movement for him to stay quiet. Skeppy presses his lips together but does not protest and immediately moves toward Ranboo. He gently touches the kid’s shoulder and, upon getting his attention, gestures toward the other end of the room. Ranboo widens his eyes but nods and follows him without a word.

They stay in the corner of the room, as far from the door as physically possible, and Skeppy grips his dagger as tightly as he can.

He exchanges a look with Phil before the older man nods and leaves the portal room. They stay immobile, in complete silence. Their exhale and the bubbling of the lava is their only constant for what seems like an eternity, until they hear Phil scream.

Skeppy presses Ranboo into the wall and he takes a defensive stance. He knows he holds no chance against Dream, but he will at least try to get a hit – try to make the man bleed – before he passes. He has to avenge Bad for–

Wait.

Bad’s heart is still beating. Their heartbeat is still very much present in his chest.

What is Phil screaming?

“Skeppy,” Ranboo says from behind him, “Skeppy, it’s them. Phil found them. They need our help.”

Skeppy is away from the wall and running toward the door before he realizes it. He pauses as he is about to leave the room and turns back to meet Ranboo’s terrified eyes.

“Come,” he tells him, and the kid nods and is quick to follow. They rush through the dark hallways, desperately looking for their friends. They hear them before they see them: Techno’s low rumble trying to assuage Phil’s clear worry, and Bad’s quiet and tired voice as he attempts to explain what happens.

Skeppy’s heart misses a beat at the sound of his best friend’s voice –  _ He is alive he is alive he is alive he is alive _ – and he runs toward him. He is in Bad’s arms before he knows it, holding onto the man as tightly as he can, as if his grip would be enough to prevent Bad from ever leaving his side again.

“You’re alive,” he repeats, panting, “You’re alive, you’re alive, you’re alive. Bad, Gods, you’re alive!” Bad’s hand finds his cheek and cups it gently.

“I promised, Skeppy,” he whispers. “We promised.”

Skeppy nods and he feels like he is about to start crying. Bad is alive, and he is back where he belongs, in Skeppy’s arms, by Skeppy’s side.

“You can’t leave,” he says in a final voice, and Bad’s thumb comes to gently wipe a traitorous tear away.

“I promise,” he replies in a soft voice. This seems to bring Skeppy back to himself and he takes a step back, blinking a little bit before he focuses on his best friend. He looks exhausted but relatively unharmed. Techno, though, has clearly taken the brunt of the damage. He limps as he takes a few steps toward them, leaning heavily on Phil, and there are gashes on his arms and bruises on his face.

The Blood God is bleeding.

Skeppy feels like screaming. He wants to move forward and help support Techno and make sure that Dream cannot touch him again. 

He knows he doesn’t have that power.

“What happened?” Ranboo asks from where he stands, a few steps away. Bad’s tail flickers immediately upon spotting him but he does not let go of Skeppy’s hand. His eyes devour the kid though, and he seems to check for any sign of injury before relaxing a little at the proof that Ranboo is safe.

“Bastard tried to kill us both,” Techno grunts, and he moans a little as Phil continues pushing him toward the portal room, “But Bad did…” – he frowns and hesitates – “… something. And we ran away.”

Bad shrugs and bites his lower lip. “I slowed him down,” he says in ways of an explanation, “But it won’t keep him away for long.”

Phil curses and Ranboo seems to shrink a bit smaller. Skeppy scrunches his nose, and he grips Bad’s hand a bit tighter.

“Kid,” he states, looking to the child, “We’ll keep you safe.” Bad’s eyes flash a bit brighter and he nods. They don’t need to look at each other to know that this is a promise they are making. It doesn’t hold the same power as the promise they made to each other, but it is just as precious.

Ranboo chuckles nervously but he doesn’t get a chance to respond before Phil calls him.

“Ranboo, come help me,” he asks, “On the other side of Techno.” The kid nods and rushes by the Piglin’s side. He leans in to make himself fit just under the man’s shoulder. Techno groans as he slings his arm around Ranboo's shoulder.

“I can walk, Phil,” he protests, but the expression on Phil’s face prevents him from continuing.

“Save your strength,” the older man demands, “You heard Bad. He is coming.”

There aren’t many more words exchanged, and they rush back to the portal room. Phil pushes Techno into a sitting position, against the wall, and he forces the Piglin to gulp down the potions that Ranboo hands him, ignoring the protests.

“We might need them later!” Techno tries, but Phil’s glare is enough to quieten him.

“Drink,” the older man orders, grabbing another potion from Ranboo's hands. “Stay alive.”

Skeppy keeps his hand firmly clasped with Bad’s, and he doesn’t think there would be a way to separate them. When Dream comes, Skeppy will die holding hands with his best friend. 

Unless…

He stares at the unlit portal and bites his lip. There’s another solution, but he is terrified of voicing it, of speaking it into existence.

His pockets are incredibly heavy and it feels like their content is burning.

Bad is holding onto his hand – he hasn’t tried to protest or comment on Skeppy’s clinginess ever since he came back – but he still moves around. His other hand is turned toward Ranboo, glowing with purple energy, and Bad has not stopped muttering in the End language. Ranboo’s staring at him quietly, letting him act however he wants.

None of them point out how none of Bad’s wards have been useful in keeping Dream away. The demon wants to feel like he is doing  _ something _ to protect his prince, even if it ends up being a vain effort.

Bad almost gave his life for Ranboo earlier. Whatever he is doing with the spells, it might have kept him alive. Maybe it is keeping Dream away or making Ranboo more difficult to locate. Skeppy doesn’t know, and he doesn’t want to ask.

He doesn’t get a chance to ask anyway.

Because  _ his _ voice resonates in the stronghold.

“Are we playing hide and seek?”

Dream is speaking to them. 

Dream has found them.

Or rather, Dream has found the stronghold. He isn't near the portal room yet. His voice resonates in the empty hallways.

Phil curses, and he moves away from Techno and toward the door. He quickly barricades it with everything they have, but they all know that this will not keep Dream away. If Bad’s wards were not enough, a few planks will certainly not hold the man back.

They all stare at each other, wide-eyed and petrified, and Dream’s voice comes again, taunting. It's a bit closer now.

“Bad,” Dream scolds with an amused tone, “Haven’t we played enough hunting games for you to know that I never lose?”

Bad lets out a choked exhale and Skeppy squeezes his hand comfortingly. He doesn’t know what to say, isn’t sure that there  _ is _ anything to be said, but he at least wants Bad to know that he is by his side.

Phil has retreated from the door and stands in front of Techno, wings bristled and almost completely hiding Techno behind him. Skeppy has no doubt that Phil will die for Techno, the very same way he and Bad are about to die for Ranboo.

“I didn’t take you for a coward, Technoblade,” Dream says when it seems that addressing Bad will have no effect. His voice is a bit lower, as if he had moved away from the room in which they hide. “I would have never imagined that you would run.”

Phil shakes with rage and he holds his sword a bit tighter in front of him. Skeppy distantly wonders if this is the sword he used to kill his son.

“Ranboo,” Dream calls, and it sounds like he is singing his name, and Skeppy wants to kill him. “Come here… We spent so long speaking together. We are linked, now. I am your only choice, now, Ranboo. They would hate you if they knew what you did for me. The crimes you committed in my name.”

Bad shakes his head silently and the boy remains petrified next to them.

“Ranboo, don’t be selfish,” Dream admonishes, “If I find you– when I find you, I will kill them all. Make this easy on all of us. Come. If you come now, I will make their death quick.”

Bad’s eyes are full of wrath and he turns to the kid.

“Not a move,” he murmurs furiously, and Ranboo tenses, “He lies. He always does. He made the Mother suffer when he killed her. He’ll do the same to us, whatever  _ you _ do.” The kid looks absolutely terrified.

“And what do we do then?” he responds, hysterical, “We wait to be slaughtered, like cattle? There’s no leaving this place! He has us! He’ll murder you all because you tried to stand up for me!”

Bad’s eyes flash with pain and his voice cracks when he speaks again. “Please, my prince, give me a chance to help.”

Ranboo shakes his head. “You’re all going to die here!”

“He’s right,” comes Techno’s low voice, “This is pretty hopeless.”

Skeppy swallows thickly. Dream’s steps are resonating in the room above them, next to them, in the hallway – everywhere around them. He is about to find them. They all know it.

“I may have a plan,” he whispers.

The Eyes of Ender shine brightly when he brings them out of his pockets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like all of those chapter notes are going to be "Whelp."
> 
> Dream's there. But at least Techno and Bad are okay :)) And they have an escape route, technically!
> 
> Super excited to see what you all thought of this!! :))
> 
> \--
> 
> Also, as an update, "Diamond in the Rough," the sequel to "Ruby in the Moonlight," is now on its second revision. I will be able to share that with y'all as soon as we're done with Prince of End! And Silver and I might work on finding some bits here and there for a few teasers :))


	17. Holding a Siege

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I think you’re gonna have to get to us by force,” Techno drawls, moving to hold onto his sword, “Because none of us bought your sob story.”  
> There is a loud sigh on the other side of the door.  
> “Fine,” comes Dream’s voice.  
> And then, a blast.  
> Skeppy presses himself in front of Ranboo and he feels, more than he sees, the way Bad shoves them both behind him. Phil screams.  
> And then, when the smoke subsides, they all look up to Dream.  
> “Look at you all,” he comments with a smirk, “Huddled away in a corner.” His chuckle ends before it begins and there’s a sudden intensity in his words. “Hand me the child.”  
> Bad snarls. “Over my dead body.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Apologies for the late upload! I had a pretty long day. 
> 
> We return to the stronghold and to all of our boys hiding in the portal room while Dream try to gets in. But again, Skeppy is a smart one, and he will not let anyone touch those he cares about. 
> 
> Enjoy!!

They are all huddled together in the farthest corner of the room, and they stare at the door as it shakes. Dream’s pushing against it, on the other side, and it feels completely hysterical to think that the iron door is the only thing keeping the murderous man away from them.

Skeppy holds Bad and Ranboo’s hands as tightly as he can, desperately trying to convey all the affection he feels, without saying a word. Bad is by his side, the hand that Skeppy is not holding raised toward the door, glowing with purple energy, and he hasn’t stopped muttering protective spells.

It doesn’t seem to help, though, because the door is about to give way.

They’re about to die.

Unless…

Skeppy stares at the eleven orbs that they have carefully placed in the portal’s frames and he feels the weight of others in his pocket. He has what they need to activate the portal. To run away. 

“Do you trust me?” he had asked.

“Skeppy, this is crazy,” Bad had protested, “What if it doesn’t work? What if-”

“Do you trust me?”

Bad had fallen quiet and he had given Skeppy a solemn nod.

“With my life.”

“Then let me do it.”

The rest of the Eyes of Ender feels heavy in his pocket, but not as heavy as the pressure on his shoulders. It has to work. The door shakes a little more.

“This is just a question of time,” Dream claims from the other side, “Bad’s wards won’t work much longer. You are biding your time, but that won’t stop me from getting to you all.”

“Skeppy,” Techno hisses from the side, “We could be through already! Why aren’t we through?”

Because opening the portal would alert Dream to their plan immediately, Skeppy wants to say. Because passing through the portal would leave it wide open for Dream to simply walk through and pursue them in an unfamiliar dimension. Because Skeppy is not about to expose his scheme, not when Bad would immediately oppose it.

“Not yet,” he whispers. Techno growls.

“It’s gonna be too late soon!” he protests in a murmur.

“It will be right on time,” Skeppy counteracts, keeping his voice as calm and stable as he can. Bad’s fingers curl around his and squeeze.

"This is crazy," Ranboo repeats in a murmur. He sounds a little hysterical. "This is crazy. This is all crazy."

“Bad,” Dream calls, “Don’t be ridiculous. Give me the boy, and I’ll forget about our  _ disagreement _ .” Skeppy stares at the blood on Bad’s sword and he almost lets out a small cackle at Dream’s word choice. A low hissing sound comes from Bad’s throat but the demon does not reply, and Skeppy holds a bit tighter onto Ranboo’s hand.

“We’re not giving you away,” he promises in a whisper, “He’ll have to come through us first.”

Ranboo gives a strained nod. Dream sighs from the other side.

“Technoblade, Philza,” he calls, his voice gentle and soothing now, “We can all be reasonable. Ranboo is a danger to the server. I am simply trying to protect it.”

“You’re trying to kill a child!” Phil spits venomously, finally breaking their silence. Techno grits his teeth together but says nothing. 

“I am protecting the server,” Dream argues back, “This is for the greater good.”

Skeppy almost laughs. The greater good? Dream wants to slaughter a kid – Skeppy and Bad’s kid – for the  _ greater good _ ? He wants to pry Ranboo away from Skeppy’s hands for  _ the greater good _ ?

“What the fuck is the greater good?”

Bad doesn’t scold him for the curse; he continues muttering spells, eyes not leaving the door. Skeppy knows that this is probably the one thing stopping Dream from facing them, right now.

“The greater good of the server, Skeppy,” Dream replies in what seems like a genuine tone, “I have spent years defending the server against everything that could endanger it. How do you think we are all still standing?”

Skeppy doesn’t reply. He looks at Bad, at the way sweat is starting to gather on his forehead, at the slight tremor in his hand. He knows Dream won’t be kept away for much longer.

“Ranboo is bad news,” the man continues, “He is a monster, whose very nature is to be violent. He cannot control himself when he goes into his sleepwalking phases. You saw it yourself. He tried to attack you.”

Skeppy freezes. “How do you know about this?”

“I know of the dangers that threaten my land,” Dream responds. “I am the server’s protector. Of course, I know about it.” He pauses. "And Ranboo knows what else he has done."

Ranboo’s hand trembles and Skeppy suddenly feels murderous. He squeezes the kid’s hand reassuringly. He is not a monster; he is a kid – Bad and Skeppy’s kid.

“Let me through,” Dream demands in a gentler voice, “Let me take care of it. Let me protect my land.”

Skeppy shakes his head vehemently, even though the man cannot see him.

“I think you’re gonna have to get to us by force,” Techno drawls, moving to hold onto his sword, “Because none of us bought your sob story.”

There is a loud sigh on the other side of the door.

“Fine,” comes Dream’s voice.

And then, a blast.

Skeppy presses himself in front of Ranboo and he feels, more than he sees, the way Bad shoves them both behind him. Phil screams.

And then, when the smoke subsides, they all look up to Dream.

“Look at you all,” he comments with a smirk, “Huddled away in a corner.” His chuckle ends before it begins and there’s a sudden intensity in his words. “Hand me the child.”

Bad snarls. “Over my dead body.”

Dream laughs a little and he takes a few steps forward. Phil raises to his feet, sword in his hand, almost daring the man to come any further.

“Oh, Bad, you and I know that you cannot die,” Dream admonishes in a gentle voice.

“Then that should serve as an answer,” Skeppy spits, “You’re never getting him!”

Dream laughs at that, completely disregarding the heat in Skeppy’s words, and he moves a bit closer. He stops when Phil’s sword touches his chest.

“Are you sure about this, Philza?” he asks, “You still have one son left. Tommy. Is this how you want to die? For an End creature?” He chuckles to himself, “Though I guess that it would not be the first time you abandon your family for them.”

Phil flinches but does not step back and his hand remains firm around his sword. Skeppy moves very carefully, while Dream’s focus is still on the older man. He approaches the portal and stands next to the last empty frame. Bad’s breath hitches in his throat and, out of the corner of his eye, Skeppy watches the way he beckons Ranboo closer to the portal.

“What about you, Technoblade?” Dream asks, “You know I could call in that favor, now. Make you hand me the child.”

Skeppy’s heart falls and his head snaps toward the Piglin, his eyes wide and panicked. Ranboo has stopped moving too, frozen in his spot.

Techno shakes his head slowly from where he is still sitting, back leaning against the wall. “You won’t,” he says, voice hoarse but certain. “You wouldn’t waste the favor on that. Not when you think that you can take him yourself. And not when you know that the moment I hand you the kid, we are through.” He shrugs and winces a little at the pain. “There would be nothing stopping me from getting him back.” He hesitates before pointing at the others. Skeppy, Bad, and Phil. “And those three? They owe you nothing. They won’t let me touch Ranboo if they think I might help you.”

“Technoblade-” Dream begins, but he is immediately interrupted. 

“Plus, I’ve kind of made another deal, Dream.” The Piglin turns his head to give a small nod into Bad’s direction. “One that would go into direct contradiction with your  _ favor,  _ if you were to call it. I’m meant to keep the kid safe from you. I’ve been trusted with keeping you  _ away _ from him.” His smile stretches. “My  _ friend _ asked me to keep the kid safe. And I'm a loyal man, Dream. Which deal do you think I would follow?” he asks carefully. 

Skeppy’s eyes meet Phil’s and the winged man gives him a reassuring nod. Techno would not allow Ranboo to be endangered. He knows what he is doing. 

Dream growls. “Are you certain you want to play this game, Technoblade? I warned you about it. You can play, but you won’t be a player. You'll be a piece. A piece that I will take, eventually.” He sighs. “Are you sure that you want to play?”

Techno smiles – a dangerous smile that reveals his tusks – and he stands up with a grunt.

“I am,” he says, “Because, you see, Dream, you’re not the only one who likes to play games.” His head turns slightly, and his red eyes catch Skeppy’s. “And I know someone who never loses.”

Dream’s focus shifts to Skeppy. He looks at the unlit portal, at the eleven filled frames, and back to Skeppy. “You have the last Eye,” he states slowly, and the smile under his mask widens, “Is this where you all want to die, then?” he asks, “In the End? I guess it is rather poetic.”

None of them say anything and Skeppy notices the way they all stand, alert, ready to jump when the portal opens. This is all up to him.

“This will be vain, though,” Dream warns, “How long are you going to flee? You pass through this portal, and I will be right behind you.”

Bad’s eyes flash with uncertainty and Skeppy so desperately wants to be near him to hold his hand and reassure him.

“Bad,” he calls in the calmest voice he can muster, “Go through the portal with the kid. Don’t wait for me.”

Bad’s mouth falls open and he stares at him wordlessly. Ranboo shakes his head.

“Skeppy, what the-”

“Bad,” Skeppy insists, his eyes not leaving the demon, “Do you trust me?” Bad nods silently. “Then do it.”

There aren’t any more words exchanged. Before Dream has the time to comment, Skeppy takes the Eye of Ender out of his pocket and he slams it into the frame.

The end portal sings as it opens up, and Skeppy feels a blast of energy from something that is  _ Bad’s _ , from a power and a presence that he has learned to associate with his best friend. He moves forward, to the stairs, right in front of where Dream stands and he stares at him as he hears his friends go through, one by one. He counts in his head. One. Two. Three. Four.

He lets out a long exhale and Dream laughs.

“Is that it, boy?” he asks, “Are you going to try to fight me? What stops me from just shoving you aside and going through right now?”

Skeppy wishes his smile wasn’t so shaky and uncertain. He takes a step back toward the portal.

“You could…” he says slowly, and he prays that he isn’t wrong.

Skeppy hates losing games. He despises it when his dice do not hit the right number or when he cannot find the right way to make a puzzle piece fit.

He really, really doesn’t want to lose this game.

“You know, Skeppy,” Dream confesses slowly, “Technoblade respects you quite a lot. I have always wondered why.”

Skeppy thinks that, if it doesn’t work, he might just die here. If he is at least partially right, though, Dream won’t be able to get to the kid, even if it costs Skeppy his life.

“But I’ve run out of patience,” Dream continues, “I don’t think that I want to find out anymore. Not when you stand in the way of what is  _ mine _ !”

He moves to shove Skeppy aside and Skeppy doesn’t wait a second. He jumps in the portal and, before he can completely pass through, he grabs onto the ring and holds on for dear life. His entire body is hanging in the void, in a dimension between worlds, and his hands are so desperately clenched around the End frame. 

It has to work, he thinks. He doesn’t know what he would do if it doesn’t.

He stares defiantly at Dream as his arms shake with exertion. The man comes forward, looming over him.

“What are you doing?”

Skeppy smirks at him. Before Dream can do anything to stop him, he rips one Eye out of the frame. He has only a second to see the shocked expression on Dream’s face before he lets himself fall into the void. 

He falls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaahhh-  
> I feel bad I'm leaving y'all with so many cliffhangers!
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed!! Sorry again for the late upload.
> 
> I'm very excited to see what y'all thought of the confrontation and Skeppy's plan :))
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	18. Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skeppy almost died, and Bad understands.  
> He understands death, and he understands how fragile the life he has built here is. He understands that Skeppy is mortal, that Skeppy is ephemeral. He understands that, one day, they will both die.  
> He is afraid, really afraid.  
> He doesn’t want Skeppy to die.  
> He never wants to feel this way again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Here is chapter 18! A bit of a shorter one, but I hope you'll like it either way :)) 
> 
> We start with a flashback and a nod to a memory Skeppy mentioned a while ago. And then, we'll move back to Skeppy falling.
> 
> Enjoy!!

Skeppy is playing in the sky islands, with a few of his friends, and Bad watches from the ground, his tails flicking happily as he listens to his best friend’s excited screams.

Skeppy’s happy and so Bad is happy.

He cranes his neck and looks at the way Skeppy leaps between islands with agility. Bad's heart feels so fond as he listens to Skeppy’s gleeful screeches. He is visibly winning, judging by the way he sticks his tongue in the direction of his opponents, taunting them, and Bad loves him  _ so much _ .

He misses the End so very much and will probably do so until the end of his days (until the end of Skeppy’s days), but at least he has Skeppy. Skeppy was worth being forced away from his home, away from his prince, away from everything.

Skeppy is worth it all.

Bad relaxes in the grass, almost to just fall asleep here, under the sun, accompanied by the joyful sounds.

Except, suddenly, there is silence.

And then a terrified scream.

Bad doesn’t realize that he is the one who screamed until all heads are turned toward him. All heads but one.

Skeppy is falling.

Skeppy is falling.

Skeppy is falling.

Time seems to stop, and Bad just stares at the figure of his best friend, stuck in the air, about to hit the ground.

Skeppy is going to come crashing on the ground; his fragile body is going to shatter; his neck is going to crack. Bad is going to witness the death of his best friend.

Skeppy is falling.

Skeppy is going to die.

Bad watches and maybe he is still screaming, or maybe he has stopped and started praying. He doesn’t know. Skeppy is going to hit the ground.

Bad suddenly acknowledges Skeppy’s mortality. Skeppy is not like him. Skeppy is not an eternal demon whose very existence will know an end only when his duty ends.

Skeppy is a mortal. Skeppy is mortal. 

Skeppy is going to die.

And Bad is going to die with him because he has promised that he would follow.

Bad doesn’t think about that, though, he only thinks about the fact that Skeppy – young Skeppy, happy Skeppy, his Skeppy – is going to  _ cease to exist. _

Bad cannot breathe.

He can almost see the way Skeppy’s body will smash against the floor and he already imagines what it will feel like when he can no longer feel Skeppy’s heartbeats in his chest.

He cannot breathe.

And then, a blank.

The next thing Bad knows, he is holding Skeppy against his chest, shaking with sobs and relishing in the sound of their shared heartbeats. His back hurts, but he cannot focus on that. 

Skeppy is desperately trying to pull away from the hug so he can look at his face but Bad cannot let him go. If he let him go, Skeppy might shatter; he might disappear; he might leave Bad. A tiny part of him knows that this is a completely irrational fear, but Bad cannot bring himself to let go of his best friend.

He has to stay with him, he can’t die, he can’t  _ leave _ .

“Bad,” Skeppy whispers hurriedly, “Bad, I’m okay. Please Bad, stop crying.”

Bad just continues sobbing, his head buried in Skeppy’s shoulder and their chests brought together, their hearts beating at once.

“You can’t leave,” he chokes, “You can’t die, Skeppy…”

He hears his best friend’s breath hitch and Skeppy is suddenly holding him tighter, hands rubbing up and down his back, and he hears murmured reassurances and promises that he is alive and unharmed and safe.

Bad cries.

He vaguely remembers a discussion with Dream, George, and Sapnap, a quiet night, after a hunt. They had all sat by the fire, staring at the dancing flames, and the three humans had spoken about their first near-death experience. Confronting one’s own mortality, they had said, was an incredibly traumatizing event. The reality of death – its looming imminence – was something that they couldn’t forget. Bad hadn’t understood, but he had nodded comfortingly.

He understands now.

Skeppy almost died, and Bad understands.

He understands death, and he understands how fragile the life he has built here is. He understands that Skeppy is mortal, that Skeppy is ephemeral. He understands that, one day, they will both die.

He is  _ afraid _ , really afraid.

He doesn’t want Skeppy to die.

He never wants to feel this way again.

* * *

Skeppy falls.

And falls

And falls.

And then he hits the ground with a yelp. He barely has time to focus on the pain in his legs or to look at the surroundings because arms are thrown around his shoulders and Bad’s head is pressed in the crook of his neck.

“Skeppy- Skeppy, Oh my goodness, Skeppy!”

The demon just continues repeating his name as if it were a prayer, as if silence would simply take him away and send him back to the Overworld.

“Hey, Bad,” he murmurs, and the man sniffles against him. Skeppy wraps his arms around his best friend’s waist and holds him there.

He knows that there is a lot to say, a lot to explain, and Dream’s furious expression haunts him, but, for now, he just wants to hang onto Bad and pretend that they are the only ones in the world.

Except they are not.

Of course they aren’t.

“So,” Techno finally sighs, “You wanna explain what this was about, Skeppy?”

Skeppy gently pushes Bad away, just enough so that he can look at the Piglin. Techno is visibly very displeased, lips pulled in a grimace and arms crossed over his torso.

“You said it yourself,” Skeppy answers, “Winning the game.” Techno’s eyes shine with something that looks like fury and a glint of… something else.

“We do not win games through reckless decisions.”

Skeppy blinks. “Chess games require sacrifices,” he says, “It’s part of the strategy.”

“This isn't chess,” Techno growls. “You should have strategized something else.”

Skeppy shakes his head and makes a poor attempt at a smile.

“There weren’t many options,” he replies, “Dream said it himself; if we opened the portal, he would just follow us through.”

“You should have thought of something else,” Techno insists, “A solution that didn’t include risking your life.”

“I had to close the portal,” Skeppy says, “So I took a calculated risk.”

“A  _ calculated risk _ ?” Techno repeats, voice rumbling with anger, “Skeppy, you could have been stuck with him.”

“Or cut in half by the portal,” Phil adds, his voice somber. He comes forward to put a comforting hand on Techno’s shoulder and the Piglin trembles. Skeppy finally recognizes the other glint in Techno’s eyes. Fear.

“You could have died,” the Piglin whispers, “I would have seen you died and not been able to do anything.” Skeppy opens his mouth to protest. “And then-” Techno continues, refusing to stop until all of his grievances are aired, “And then you would have left us alone.” There is genuine pain in his voice, under all of the anger.

Bad sniffles against his neck. Techno must notice Skeppy's focus on the demon because he continues, his voice gruff: "You would have left Bad alone."

Bad.

Oh Gods.

Bad.

Skeppy feels the way the demon’s body trembles in his arms and he feels a sudden wave of guilt threaten to drown him.

Oh Gods, Bad.

Techno is wrong; Skeppy wouldn’t have left Bad all alone. He would have died, and he would have forced Bad to follow.

He would have killed Bad.

Oh Gods.

He holds onto the demon a bit tighter – a silent apology, a plea for forgiveness. Bad hums in the embrace and gives a small squeeze. Skeppy is forgiven, but he isn’t off the hook. They will have to discuss this later.

Skeppy never assumed he would be the one to cause Bad’s death. He knows, somehow, that he will eventually die, and that Bad will have to follow. But he never imagined that it would come so soon. He always envisioned it as something in the far future. He saw himself growing old and Bad remaining by his side forever. He imagined holding Bad’s hand from his bed and knowing, even as he would close his eyes for the last time, that Bad would follow.

He never imagined that he could  _ cause _ Bad’s death.

Skeppy throws a glance at Phil and he sees in the man’s grim expression that he remembers their conversation. Techno is the only one who didn’t know that Skeppy’s recklessness might have cost Bad his life too.

Phil knows about the Promise. And so does Ranboo.

Wait.

Where is Ranboo?

Skeppy moves away from Bad and looks around frantically. “Where is the kid?”

Bad immediately moves forward to stabilize him and Techno scoffs.

“About that, mate…” Phil begins.

“Where is Ranboo?” Skeppy repeats, his tone hitting a note of despair. If the kid didn’t make it through, if something happened to him, because of Skeppy’s plan, he will never forgive himself. And he knows that, even though Bad will say that he forgives him, he also won’t.

“Relax,” Bad says quickly when he sees the fear in Skeppy’s eyes, “It isn’t bad, it’s just-”

“Just what?”

Skeppy feels hysterical. He is about to shove Bad away and go look for the kid himself when Techno shifts a little. And reveals a dragon.

A whole fucking dragon.

What the fuck?

To be completely honest, the dragon isn’t that tall. It is nothing as gigantic as the books describe the Ender dragon to be, and Skeppy feels confused. It looks  _ young _ , and Skeppy has absolutely no idea how he can make that judgement, but he just knows that the dragon is a youngling. It doesn’t even look aggressive. Instead, it chirps and looks at Skeppy.

Green and red eyes blink at him.

What the fuck?

“What the fuck?”

“Language!” Bad scolds.

“No- No, fuck that.” Skeppy rubs his eyes before looking back, but the black dragon is still staring at him. “What the fuck, Bad?”

Bad offers him a shy smile. One that is so full of affection and hides a hint of concern. As if Skeppy was about to break his heart.

“This is Ranboo,” Bad says softly, “Prince of End.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ROLLS CREDITS.
> 
> Super excited to see what y'all thought :)) Ranboo is a tiny dragon boy, and he is The Best Boy. We will get more of it next chapter :)) 
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!! Thanks for reading!


	19. A Dragon in the End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “That’s Ranboo’s mom?” he asks, blinking a few times. He tries to reconcile the idea of this gigantic dragon with that of the lanky kid. Though, again, the kid is a dragon.  
> It makes sense, he guesses.  
> “That’s the Mother,” Bad corrects, his voice fond. “The Mother to all.”  
> “Right,” Skeppy says, even if he has absolutely no idea what any of this means.  
> “Dream killed her,” Phil declares, his tone extremely grim. There is a flash of pain and guilt that passes on Bad’s face.  
> “I know,” he breathes, and he takes another step toward the body, “I was- I tried to stop him.”  
> Skeppy hates the guilt in Bad’s voice and he refuses to stand for it. “Bad,” he calls, “You saved Ranboo. That was your duty, wasn’t it?”  
> “I was meant to protect the End,” Bad responds, shaking his head, “I failed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Here is chapter 19! Dragonboo interacts with his Dads :))   
> It's soft and sweet for the first half :)
> 
> Enjoy!!

The kid is not a kid, he is a dragon.

What the fuck?

Skeppy stares at the young dragon – at Ranboo – and he just cannot believe it.

“How?” he breathes.

Bad’s face is soft and calm and his smile is so gentle. “He has come of age,” he says, and there is reverence in his voice as he comes forward, “My prince.”

The dragon inclines his head and Bad reaches to gently touch his muzzle. There is so much gentleness and care in the demon’s actions and Skeppy suddenly understands so much about  _ before _ . Now, he knows what Bad was longing for when he stared at the night sky.

The kid is a dragon.

This is insane.

Phil’s eyes are full of fascination as he stares at the creature. There is something shining there, like Phil is looking at something he used to know, something he used to adore. He takes a step forward but stops short of touching Ranboo, as if he didn’t dare to make that last move.

Ranboo seems to notice it, though, and he moves away from Bad and toward Phil. He ignores the trembling of the older man and he nuzzles his shoulder a few times, until Phil dares to look into his eyes. Ranboo chirps when he does, and he blinks slowly in Phil’s direction. The older man looks completely dumbfounded until he realizes what’s happening and he gives the dragon a slow blink in return. Ranboo warbles happily at the exchange.

Phil’s lips curve into a shaking smile. “You look like her,” he whispers with so much adoration in his voice.

Ranboo tilts his head and they all turn to look at the center of the island, where the massive body of a black dragon rests.

“Smaller,” Techno quips from behind, and Skeppy cannot help but giggle.

Bad looks solemn, though, and he takes a few steps toward the center. “It’s her,” he says, “Skeppy, look. It’s the Mother.”

Oh.

That’s what Bad meant when he had referred to her.

“That’s Ranboo’s mom?” he asks, blinking a few times. He tries to reconcile the idea of this gigantic dragon with that of the lanky kid. Though, again, the kid is a dragon.

It makes sense, he guesses.

“That’s the Mother,” Bad corrects, his voice fond. “The Mother to all.”

“Right,” Skeppy says, even if he has absolutely no idea what any of this means.

“Dream killed her,” Phil declares, his tone extremely grim. There is a flash of pain and guilt that passes on Bad’s face.

“I know,” he breathes, and he takes another step toward the body, “I was- I tried to stop him.”

Skeppy hates the guilt in Bad’s voice and he refuses to stand for it. “Bad,” he calls, “You saved Ranboo. That was your duty, wasn’t it?”

“I was meant to protect the End,” Bad responds, shaking his head, “I failed.”

Skeppy frowns. “You said you were Ranboo’s protector.”

Bad swallows thickly. “I had to protect the future of the End,” he says, “But, by my fault, Ranboo was deprived of his mother, and she-” His voice cracks.

“By  _ Dream’s  _ fault,” Skeppy corrects firmly and Bad chuckles mirthlessly.

“Does that make a difference?” he asks.

Skeppy nods emphatically, and it seems like Ranboo can understand them because he trots to Bad and whines until the demon looks up at him. The same way he did for Phil, he closes his eyes for a second before looking back at Bad. Bad makes an extremely shy smile but doesn’t move. The dragon whimpers a little louder and nuzzles the side of Bad’s head.

“He doesn’t want you to talk about yourself like this,” Skeppy says, arms crossed.

Bad still looks guilty, but he doesn’t protest. “Okay,” he says, “We’ll just- Okay.” Ranboo chirps in response and a small smile appears on Bad’s lips.

Gods, does Skeppy love him.

He would do anything for Bad, he thinks, including protecting him from himself, or fighting a man with Godly powers.

Anything.

He waits until Ranboo has moved away to approach Bad. He looks into the shining white eyes and gives his best friend a tender smile.

“You’re fine,” he says, and Bad gives a small laugh in return. Their hands find each other, as they always do, and Skeppy comes forward to rest his forehead against Bad. “I’m here, you’re here, and the kid’s here,” Skeppy murmurs, “We’re all fine.” Bad exhales against him and Skeppy feels the tension leave his shoulders. They stand there, taking in the other’s presence, slowly relaxing, and their heartbeat slows down.

Skeppy feels ready to simply forget about the world around them – Bad is his world anyway - and about the other three, and simply stay with Bad, like this, for hours. Until the pain of being separated has fully subsisted.

He doesn’t get that chance though.

“Hm, Bad?” Techno calls, “Why are they doing that?”

Skeppy looks up immediately at the concern in the Piglin’s tone. Ranboo has moved away from them a little, and he is now surrounded by a few dozen of Endermen who stare at him with their wide purple eyes. Techno’s sword is gleaming and Skeppy knows that his friend is about to pit himself against all of the creatures to keep Ranboo safe.

Phil is watching, eyes wide, and his hand is brushing against the hilt of his sword, though he hasn’t taken action yet. “Don’t look into their eyes, Ranboo,” he repeats in a whisper, “Whatever you do, don’t look into their eyes.”

The Endermen seem to hear the humans speaking because they start humming in their turn, eyes still fixated on the kid. It doesn’t sound like angry Endermen noises, but it is not exactly reassuring either, especially when more and more start teleporting and grouping around the young dragon.

Skeppy squeezes Bad’s hand, petrified. Are they about to attack them all? And, more importantly, are they about to attack the kid? He looks to Bad, waiting for instructions on how to best protect Ranboo.

Bad is smiling.

“It’s fine,” he says, “They’re protecting their prince.”

What the fuck.

“They’re what?”

Bad doesn’t respond. Instead, he approaches the Endermen, hands raised, and he hums slowly. He doesn’t try to avoid their look, not the way Skeppy always has had to. He makes a small smile and pronounces a few words in that guttural tongue that has always fascinated Skeppy. The Endermen’s unblinking eyes move from him to Skeppy, Phil, and Techno, and they all freeze in their spot under the stare.

“Look down,” Phil whispered hurriedly, “Do not meet their eyes.”

“Yeah, yeah, we got that,” Techno grumbles.

Skeppy observes him from the corner of his eye and notices the way he still obeys and stares directly at the floor. They all stay immobile, completely focused on the End stone. The Endermen hum a bit louder and some teleport around them. Skeppy’s heart is in his throat. If one of the creatures takes action against them, all of the others will follow. And even Bad will be helpless to save them.

They hear a low rumble that forces Skeppy to look up. It’s Ranboo. The dragon walks toward them and there’s a warning in the low sound that comes from his throat. The Endermen warble in response, and Ranboo growls.

The Endermen fall into silence. It’s deafening.

“Hm- What?” Skeppy whispers. He meets Bad’s wide eyes.

“He-” Bad licks his lips. “He told them not to touch you,” he says, voice a little hoarse. It’s emotions – Skeppy knows it. “They were worried about you being a danger to him, but he…” He trails off and shakes his head. Whatever Ranboo said, it has Bad on the verge of tears.

Skeppy meets the red and green eyes. “Hey,” he says softly, “Thank you.”

Ranboo lets out a purring sound and gives him a slow blink.

“Is he acting like a big cat or something?” Skeppy asks with a giggle. Phil laughs.

“Just blink back at him, mate,” he says, “Don’t be rude.”

So Skeppy does. He blinks back.

Bad’s smile stretches and the demon looks so incredibly content. Skeppy would do anything to keep that exact expression of peace on Bad’s face.

And then the smile fades.

And instead, it is replaced by pure fear.

“Oh,” says Dream’s voice, “This is  _ hilarious _ .”

How the fuck?

Skeppy turns immediately and stares at the always-smiling mask and the smirk under it. He doesn’t ask the question, but it seems like it is visible enough on his face, because Dream responds:

“Oh, Skeppy,” he chides, “Did you really think that taking a mere Eye would stop me long enough?” He chuckles condescendingly. “It was child’s play to find a blaze and an Enderman and create another Eye. Who do you think opened the portal in the first place?” Skeppy is frozen in his spot and Dream laughs. “See? This is what I meant, Technoblade. This is not a game any of you are able to play.”

Techno growls and moves forward, sword clenched in his fist.

“Do you really want a repeat from earlier?” Dream asks with an amused tone, and the Piglin freezes. Phil is by his side in a second, whispering to him.

Dream, however, focuses all of his attention on Bad and the dragon behind him. His lips curve into a dangerous smile.

“You look like her,” he says, and his tone has none of the adoration that Phil’s had held. It’s dangerous. It’s lethal. “I’ve done this once before.”

Bad snarls and, suddenly, there are wings on his back. Black dragon wings that look so much like Ranboo’s, and Skeppy is reminded that Bad is from the End too. That he and Ranboo are connected.

He thinks of falling from a sky island, and he thinks of something catching him in the air, before he could hit the ground.

Oh.

Dream doesn’t seem phased by the development. A low chuckle comes from him and his gloved fingers snap together. And then, there are wings on his back too. A small voice in Skeppy’s head insists that Dream’s wings are grotesque and nowhere as beautiful as Bad’s. They look similar though. They are both dragon wings.

Skeppy is reminded of Bad’s words. Dream stole his powers from the Mother. Those are her wings.

Phil seems to think of the same thing, because he curses. “You have no right to have those,” he spits.

Dream laughs. “Oh, please, Philza. You and I both know that I earned them the same way you did yours.”

Phil’s face goes pale and he shakes his head. “I traded for mine,” he says, “I worked with the Endermen and the Shulkers. I-”

Bad raises a hand and Phil stops speaking. “It doesn’t matter, Phil,” he says, voice low, “ _ He _ doesn’t care.”

Dream hums. “I don’t,” he agrees, “I really don’t.”

He takes a step forward and Bad is suddenly in front of Skeppy, wings spread, and he  _ growls _ .

“You won’t touch them,” the demon threatens.

Dream chuckles again. “Peculiar name, the End, isn’t it, Bad?” he asks, instead of commenting on Bad's threat. The demon snarls in answer. “It’s strange that they would call it the End, when it is where it all began.” He takes another step forward. “You, me… The kid.” He looks toward the Mother and his lips curve into a cruel smile. “I guess that's where her life ended.” He shrugs, as if it really didn’t matter. As if the death that haunted Bad for years didn’t matter.

Skeppy wishes that Bad wasn’t standing protectively in front of him. If he wasn’t, maybe Skeppy would have a chance to punch the smirk off the bastard’s face. He would most likely die immediately after, but Gods, it would feel good.

He doesn’t move. Bad growls louder.

“Are you wordless?” Dream asks, teasing, condescending, “A shame, when Sap, George, and I spent so long teaching you to be civilized.”

Skeppy is going to kill him. He sees the way Bad tenses, even if it’s imperceptible to everyone else. He is going to kill Dream.

“You fucking kidnapped him!” he roars.

Dream’s attention snaps toward him. “I didn’t think that you would complain,” he responds contemptibly, “You have only had eyes for him ever since we brought him in. You enjoy what we did with him. We tamed him for you.”

The only reason Skeppy doesn’t immediately jump at the man’s throat is Bad. Bad who stands in front of him protectively, and who glares at Dream defiantly.

“Don’t look at him,” he warns the man, his voice a dangerous rumble, “Don’t talk to him. You won’t touch him, Dream.”

Dream laughs. “Bad,” he says with a teasing tone, “I couldn’t care less about him. I want Ranboo.” He looks back at him, and the dragon whimpers.

Techno and Phil move almost immediately, and they’re standing in front of Ranboo too, now. It’s all four of them, facing a man with Godly powers and ready to lay down their lives for a child.

It’s the right thing to do.

Dream tilts his head. “All things considered, maybe this is the End,” Dream says, “You’re all going to die here. Including the kid. And I’ll go back through the portal and no one will ever know any of this happened.” Ranboo whines pathetically and Dream looks in his direction. “It doesn’t matter if he is a dragon,” he continues, “I’ve done it before.”

“Don’t,” Bad warns lowly.

“Come stop me, Bad.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whelp, the green bastard is back.
> 
> I'm super excited to hear y'all's thoughts about the chapter!!
> 
> Thank you all for reading and for all the comments <33


	20. Fighting from the bottom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Fuck!” Skeppy swears, bringing his hands into his hair and pulling as he stares at the fight above. Bad and Phil are unrelenting, coming back to Dream and trying to find any flaw in his defense, and Dream continuously pushes them back, sending them crashing against the towers. Ranboo joins them, clumsily trying to use his claws and his fangs to attack the man. Dream laughs and he sends the dragon flying away. Bad freezes for a moment before he comes back even more ferociously.  
> “Fuck!” he repeats.  
> “You don’t say,” Techno comments between his teeth.  
> “What do we do?” Skeppy asks frantically, and the Piglin shakes his head.  
> “I have absolutely no idea,” he admits, “I can fight on the ground, but this?”  
> Skeppy curses and looks around, at the immensity of nothing. There are ten gigantic towers around them, the portal at their center, and nothing. Fuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!!
> 
> I come back to y'all with chapter 20 (goodness we are clooose to the end!!). We return exactly where we left off, with Dream being a bastard and Ranboo's four Dads being ready to lay down their lives for him. 
> 
> Enjoy!! :))

There’s a flap of wings and Bad is on Dream in an instant. Before Skeppy can realize what’s happening, Dream is in the air, and Bad is flying after him. They come crashing against each other and swords clash together.

Phil curses and Techno’s voice is quick to come.

“Phil, no,” he whispers quickly, “Please- He almost killed me!”

“I have to,” the older man says, “If he is alone, Bad doesn’t stand a chance against him.”

“Phil,  _ please _ !” Techno begs.

There are more sounds of wings flapping and Phil launches himself in the sky, joining the battle. Skeppy hears the hitch in Techno’s breath and he turns to look at him. They stare into each other’s eyes for a second, helpless, and then a low whine diverts their attention.

Ranboo is staring at the sky – at the battle – and whimpering. Techno’s eyes widen and Skeppy stops breathing.

“Ranboo-” Techno begins.

“Kid, no!” Skeppy protests immediately, “You need to stay away from him!”

The dragon lets out a low rumbling sound and Techno and Skeppy stare at each other, petrified.

“I can’t protect you from up there,” Techno says quickly, and Skeppy nods emphatically.

But then, they also can’t protect him from below. Skeppy cannot protect Bad, and Techno cannot protect Phil, and if Dream comes for Ranboo, they will both be helpless to stop him.

Ranboo stares at them, red and green eyes determined, and he takes flight.

“Fuck!” Skeppy swears, bringing his hands into his hair and pulling as he stares at the fight above. Bad and Phil are unrelenting, coming back to Dream and trying to find any flaw in his defense, and Dream continuously pushes them back, sending them crashing against the towers. Ranboo joins them, clumsily trying to use his claws and his fangs to attack the man. Dream laughs and he sends the dragon flying away. Bad freezes for a moment before he comes back even more ferociously.

“Fuck!” he repeats.

“You don’t say,” Techno comments between his teeth.

“What do we do?” Skeppy asks frantically, and the Piglin shakes his head.

“I have absolutely no idea,” he admits, “I can fight on the ground, but this?”

Skeppy curses and looks around, at the immensity of  _ nothing _ . There are ten gigantic towers around them, the portal at their center, and  _ nothing.  _ Fuck.

“I have my trident,” Techno continues, “But it propels me into the air. That’s all. I would maybe get one hit, and then he would throw me back down.” He shakes his head. “I can’t risk it.”

Skeppy’s head snaps back toward him. “Wait-” he says, “You have your trident?”

Techno hums in answer and Skeppy looks wildly around, at the peak of the tower. Shit. The books had said something about… crystals. Crystals with incredible power, that acted as the dragon’s last defense. Can they be used as a weapon against Dream?

Skeppy doesn’t want to hope, but he doesn’t have any other ideas. Bad is risking his life to save Ranboo, and Skeppy will be damned if he stands idly while this happens.

“Give me the trident,” he demands, and Techno’s attention snaps toward him.

“What?”

“Give me the trident,” he repeats. He curses their hasty departure. If they had taken the time to take the bags that they had packed, Techno could have his rocket launcher. Instead, Skeppy shoves a bow in the Piglin's hands.

“Skeppy, what?”

“I’m bad at aiming,” he says, “I could hurt Bad or Phil. You-” He gestures vaguely. “You do your thing. I’m going up.”

Techno blinks and his gaze hardens. “I’m not letting you risk your life too,” he growls, “At least not without an explanation.”

Skeppy grits his teeth together and he hears Bad scream in the background. They don’t have time for this.

“Up there,” he says, “On top of the tower. They have things. End crystals. They’re supposed to help the dragon, or something. I don’t know. I’m lighting them back up.”

“You don’t know what they do?” Techno repeats.

“They help!” Skeppy roars, “That’s- That’s all we have, Techno! Please!”

The Piglin looks up to the fight. Bad and Phil are moving more erratically now, and Dream continues pushing them back. They’ve seemingly hurt him though, judging by the blood on his green cloak and by the way one of his wings has to flutter a bit faster. Still, he holds his own. Every so often, he raises his hands forward and causes a blast of wind to send Bad and Phil crashing away. They can’t take this much longer.

Techno curses and shoves the trident in Skeppy’s arms. “I’m warning you,” he rumbles, “If you die, I will bring you back just so I can kill you myself.”

Skeppy makes a poor attempt at a brave smile. “Aww, you’d miss me, Techno!”

The Piglin’s gaze softens. “I would,” he says, “Be safe.”

Skeppy nods. “I promise.”

He aims the trident and launches into the air.

He crashes on top of the tower with a grunt, but he immediately stands back up and stares at the thing in front of him. It’s a flying pink crystal, and Skeppy somehow  _ knows _ that it should be full of the End energy, the same way the portal was, but it isn’t. Skeppy presses his lips together and turns around the crystal wordlessly, trying to find  _ the code _ .

This is a puzzle. And Skeppy is usually good at puzzles.

Bad screams in the distance.

Their heartbeat is going so incredibly fast, and Skeppy presses a hand against his chest, desperately trying to calm both of their hearts down. He doesn’t know if he or Bad are the one panicking. Perhaps both.

He is afraid, and fear doesn’t work well with thinking. He stares at the crystal worriedly and tries to ignore the beatings of his heart. Arrows are flying towards the fight.

Shit. Shit. The crystal. Why didn’t he pay more attention to the texts about it? He had focused all of his energy on learning about Bad’s world but had ignored the technicalities of it. Those didn’t matter, he had thought. Bad would be there to do it, or Sam would help them figure it out.

Except Skeppy is standing on top of a tower, all alone, and he has no idea what to do.

He stares at the crystal and feels like he could scream. Think. Think. Think. There has to be something. It is a puzzle, and Skeppy is meant to be good at puzzles.

Wait.

Puzzles have pieces.

Skeppy stares at the Eye of Ender in his hand. The one he ripped away from the frame, trying to keep Dream away from them.

There’s a small hole in the crystal, that seems just big enough for the Eye. Skeppy doesn’t take a second to think.

He doesn’t have much to lose anyway.

He shoves the Eye in the crystal and is almost blinded by the sudden brightness.

The energy that flows from the crystal –  _ Bad’s energy _ , Skeppy thinks, the End’s energy, he knows – is so powerful. It feels deafening, even though it is not emitting any sound, and it is definitely blinding.

Skeppy clenches his eyes shut and he hears Dream  _ scream.  _ It is a scream of pure rage and terror at the same time.

Did it work?

Skeppy doesn’t dare hoping.

He opens his eyes just narrowly enough to see that everyone is staring up at him. The crystal is visibly sending some form of beam toward the flying warriors, but Skeppy isn’t certain what’s happening.

All he knows is that Dream is very unhappy.

It’s working.

He clenches his hand around the trident and aims for the second tower.

It’s working. He is not stopping.

He lands on the tower and pulls another Eye from his pocket. And then, Dream is by his side, at the top of the tower. It looks like the Crystal hurt him, judging by the way he trembles a bit. Still, he stands there, proud and dangerous. 

“Oh no, you don’t,” Dream chides, and he takes a step forward, toward Skeppy.

Bad screams a scream of pure horror and anguish.

Skeppy rushes to the crystal and tries to press the Eye into the hole. Dream doesn’t give him a chance. He points his sword at his chest, and Skeppy sees the way Bad has completely frozen in fear.

Their heartbeat is going so fast.

“History is repeating itself, isn’t it?” Dream asks calmly, and even though his voice is low, the silence is so deafening that it carries all the way to Bad.

“Dream, please-”

“You couldn’t save the Mother, you've failed to keep the prince from me, and now you cannot even protect your own life.”

“Dream, no-”

There is something ironic in the fact that Dream’s entire focus is on Bad, even as he is about to end Skeppy’s life. It is deeply ironic, and deeply tragic. Skeppy look behind him. He cannot move backward. The tower is so incredibly high, and he is right on the edge. Dream tilts his head very lightly as he looks at the expression of pure dread on Bad’s face.

“Goodbye, Bad.”

The eyes on Dream’s mask gleam a bright purple. And then there is a hand shoving Skeppy back, and he is airborne.

Bad screams.

Skeppy sees the way his best friend tries to dive for him, and the way Dream crashes into him, pushing him away. And then Phil is on him too, and both he and Bad are fighting to try to get to Skeppy, but Dream keeps shoving them back.

Skeppy doesn’t see much, though, because he is falling.

There isn’t a lot he can think about.

He is falling.

He is falling.

He is falling.

Time seems to stop and Skeppy forgets everything but the feeling of an endless drop.

He is going to come crashing on the ground; his body is going to shatter; his neck is going to crack.

He is falling.

He is going to die.

The one thing that goes through his mind, besides the fact that  _ he is falling _ , is that he is going to leave Bad behind. That hurts. Bad is going to be left alone to protect the kid.

Wait. Bad is going to have to follow. He promised that he would. That means that they are both going to die, and they are both going to leave the kid behind. It hurts even more.

Maybe this Promise and soul-linking business was a terrible fucking idea.

Skeppy is going to die. Bad is going to follow, and they are both going to leave Ranboo all alone.

Fuck.

And at the same time, Skeppy finds some selfish comfort in knowing that he won’t be alone. Bad will be right behind him, as he has always been. Skeppy is going to die, but Bad will be there, with him. Their hands will find each other, as they always have, and they will both walk into the unknown. Together.

He is falling.

He is going to die.

He is falling.

And then he isn’t falling anymore.

Something is holding his clothes, and there is a gigantic black shape above him, and wings flapping loudly around him.

And then Ranboo’s voice resonates in the entirety of the End.

_ Not My Family. _

Skeppy thinks that it is very nice. He liked it when Ranboo called them friends, but he likes it even more when the kid calls them family.

He smiles a little at the thought.

Ranboo’s body is large, he realizes, larger than he had thought. And the kid is using his entire mass to protect him.

That’s funny, he thinks. Because he and Bad were meant to protect Ranboo, not the opposite.

And maybe he can’t breathe very well, and maybe the implications of his near-death experiences are coming crashing on him.

He feels a bit hysterical, and his head is spinning.

Ranboo’s got him. Maybe he isn’t going to die. Perhaps Bad isn’t going to die.

It’s hard to breathe. It’s painful to breathe.

Skeppy hopes he isn’t going to die. 

Bad screams.

Everything goes black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Skeppy does a lot of free-falling in this fic. Maybe it's a pattern or something. 
> 
> I can't wait to see y'all's reactions to this chapter!! What did you think? I really hope you enjoyed the inclusion of the crystals, and Ranboo's intervention :))
> 
> We are getting sooooo close to the end!! Almost there!! :))
> 
> Thank you all for reading!!!


	21. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skeppy blinks a few times and licks his lips nervously. “I’m still alive…” he says. His voice is so hoarse, and his mouth feels dry. Bad’s smile looks incredibly fragile now. Like it could wilt at any moment. It is ephemeral, the same way Skeppy’s life is.  
> “You are,” the demon whispers. The hand on Skeppy’s cheek trembles a little, “I was- Skeppy, Gods, I was so afraid.”  
> His voice cracks at the words and Skeppy watches, horrified, as tears start rolling down his best friend’s face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiiii!!!
> 
> I'm so excited and emotional to share the penultimate chapter of Prince of End!  
> Let us return to Skeppy, right after his fall and him passing out. 
> 
> Enjoy!!

Skeppy opens his eyes, and stares into blackness.

Well, that’s not good.

He blinks several times, and everything is still black.

He is about to panic when he realizes the position he is in. He is laying on the ground, his back against the end stone, facing the sky.

For a moment, he doesn’t move. He looks into the starless sky and realizes that, once upon a time, it was all that Bad had known. Bad hadn’t ever seen the Overworld’s sky. He hadn’t known about clouds, or the blue sky, or sunsets, or starry nights.

Skeppy used to think that maybe Bad and he were soulmates and that maybe, even  _ before _ , they had looked at the same sky, together even when worlds separated them.

He has to realize that it wasn’t the case.

Bad had never seen stars before he was brought to the Overworld.

It makes Skeppy so incredibly sad.

He doesn’t have too much time to lament, though, because Bad’s face is suddenly in his vision, a smile on his lips. His eyes are so full of relief and love that it threatens to drown Skeppy.

“Skeppy, oh goodness, you are okay!”

Skeppy smiles weakly at him and he tries to raise his hand to touch his best friend’s face. His arm feels extremely heavy and Skeppy lets out an upset whine when he can’t force the muscles to collaborate. He just wants the comforting contact. Bad smiles indulgently and he kneels to bring his face closer to Skeppy.

“Don’t strain yourself,” he advises with a gentle voice, though he immediately reaches to give Skeppy the touch he yearns. Bad’s hand is warm and comforting against his cheek. “You’ve just-” He lets out a nervous chuckle and, suddenly, Skeppy sees the fear in his eyes. “Gods, Skeppy, you almost died.”

Oh.

Yeah.

That happened.

Skeppy blinks a few times and licks his lips nervously. “I’m still alive…” he says. His voice is so hoarse, and his mouth feels dry. Bad’s smile looks incredibly fragile now. Like it could wilt at any moment. It is ephemeral, the same way Skeppy’s life is.

“You are,” the demon whispers. The hand on Skeppy’s cheek trembles a little, “I was- Skeppy, Gods, I was so afraid.”

His voice cracks at the words and Skeppy watches, horrified, as tears start rolling down his best friend’s face.

“Bad-” he tries, but the demon shakes his head and sniffles, letting out a wet chuckle.

“I’m sorry,” he says, “I just- I couldn’t do anything but watch and I-” He hiccups, and the pathetic sound breaks Skeppy’s heart. “I thought I was going to… Skeppy, if you died, I wouldn’t- I would die too.”

Skeppy blinks. “Yeah,” he says weakly, “That’s what we promised…”

Bad shakes his head, and he lets out another sob. “No, I-” He inhales deeply, and his white eyes bore into Skeppy. “This isn’t about the promise, Skeppy,” he whispers, “If you died, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”

Oh.

Skeppy’s eyes soften and he sits up to be closer to Bad. His muscles scream in indignation, but he pays them no heed. Bad is crying. He ignores the pain and wraps his arms around his best friend and holds him tight.

There’s a gentle hum that comes from his mouth, almost instinctively, meant only to comfort Bad. As if this was something so incredibly natural and innate. He and Bad are meant to be together, and he is meant to protect Bad, the exact same way Bad has promised to protect him.

“I’m sorry,” he murmurs as he rubs soothing circles in the demon’s back, “I’m here. I’m with you. I promise.”

“You can’t leave…” Bad chokes, and Skeppy is reminded of his own plea, when he had thought that Bad would go back to the End without him. His stomach curls into knots and he feels like he might start crying with Bad. He almost broke his best friend’s heart.

“I’m so sorry…” he repeats, “I won’t leave. Bad… I’m right here. I’m with you.”

Bad sobs quietly and Skeppy isn’t sure what to do to fix it. He moves forward and presses their foreheads together. Bad’s face is warm and his cheeks are drenched. Skeppy gently brushes a thumb there, trying to wipe some of the tears away.

“I’m here,” he says again, and Bad hiccups.

“I know,” he replies, “I’m sorry- I just… I was so scared.”

Skeppy swallows thickly and nods. “I’m here,” he says over and over again, and Bad starts relaxing. Skeppy’s caress on his cheek is constant now. He won’t stop, not until Bad has stopped trembling in his arms.

Bad starts breathing normally after a while, and Skeppy very gently pulls away. He takes Bad’s inky black hand in his and, with all the care in the world, he brings it to his chest, right above his heart.

“Listen,” he says, and Bad smiles faintly.

Their hearts are beating in unison.

They are alive.

There are sounds around them, and Skeppy is suddenly reminded that they aren’t all alone in the world. The low rumble of Techno’s voice comes closer and closer. It’s soft but insistent.

“Phil- Your wing is still injured! You shouldn’t be moving.”

“I’m fine, mate,” Phil responds in a tired tone. Skeppy isn’t certain if he is tired from the battle or from the argument he is having with Techno.

“He slammed you against a tower!” Techno protests, and it sounds like he is shuffling around him. Skeppy turns his head to look at the two men and lets out a choked breath. Phil is walking toward them but one of his wings is dragging against the floor, clearly in an unnatural position.

“Phil!” he calls worried, “What the fuck happened?”

“Language…” Bad mutters quietly.

“Dream slammed him against a wall and Phil’s wings weren’t in the right position,” Techno grumbles. He is still grimacing, and the concern is clear in his red eyes. “Phil,” he insists, “You shouldn’t be moving.”

Phil goes to shrug and lets out a moan of pain. “I’m fine,” he chokes, “I’ll take a potion or something.”

“We need to reset the bones first,” Techno reminds him in a worried voice, “And stretch the muscles in your shoulders.” Phil nods and the look he gives the Piglin seems enough to appease him.

“We will,” he promises, “But you wanted to check on Skeppy. So here we are.”

Skeppy gives a thin-lipped smile. Phil really doesn’t look all right, and Techno is also littered in wounds. Techno’s gaze goes between Phil and Skeppy rapidly. There is so much concern in his red eyes, and Skeppy realizes that Techno almost lost the two humans he’s grown so attached to. He makes his smile apologetic. 

“I’m awake,” he says simply. And then he asks the questions that have been burning his lips. “Where is Dream? How is the kid?”

Bad finds his hand and holds it gently. Phil and Techno exchange a silent look, clearly communicating what they want to tell him.

Skeppy’s heart drops.

“Bad,” he says, and he feels like he is going to throw up with fear, “Bad, how is Ranboo?”

Bad widens his eyes and shakes his head quickly. “No, no, no, Skeppy, he is okay! He is alive, he is safe!”

Skeppy can breathe again. He looks between everyone, still worried.

“Then what?” he asks, “What are you not telling me?”

“He is-” Techno begins before he lets out a small grunt and shakes his head. “Nah, you all tell it.”

“Well, there’s a lot to unpack, mate,” Phil says, as he sits beside them. He groans as the movement pulls at his wings and Techno is by his side in a second, desperately trying to soothe the pain.

“Okay,” Skeppy says, blinking slowly, “Tell the story.”

“Well, you fell,” Phil explains, “And Ranboo saved you at the last second.” Bad’s fingers curl around Skeppy’s hand and squeeze. Phil lets out a small nervous laugh. “You were about to hit the ground, mate.”

Skeppy bites his tongue but doesn’t respond. He knows this has shaken Bad more than he can even envision it. More than when Skeppy had almost fallen from the sky islands. They were almost forced apart.

“Ranboo caught you, but we weren’t sure what Dream had done to you, and whether you’d be hurt, or…” Phil trails off and shakes his head, clearly not willing to discuss the catastrophe scenarios that had gone through their minds. “And when he saw that you were unconscious and not responding, Bad went a little…” He seems to search for the right word.

“Apeshit,” Techno completes, and Bad lets out an annoyed ‘hrm.’

“Language!” he protests weakly, but none of them pay him any attention.

“So he...?” Skeppy isn’t too sure what happened, but they are clearly not afraid for their lives or preparing for Dream to come attack them again.

“Honestly, it was kind of a blur,” Phil admits, “We attacked him again. Techno got his trident back and started using it to help us, and we…” He hesitates and looks back at Techno, who shrugs.

“It seems that seeing you almost die was what Bad needed to really want to kill Dream,” the Piglin drawls.

Bad makes a small squeak in protest, and Skeppy glances at his flushed face before Phil speaks again.

“I’m not sure how he did it, but he and Ranboo took control of the Endermen. That helped a lot, obviously. And-”

“Less details, Phil,” Techno mutters. The older man sighs.

“All in all, we are safe.”

“And Dream?” Skeppy asks. Bad’s hand clenches into his, and Skeppy turns to look back at him. He notices for the first time that Bad’s shoulders are less tense. There is a lot of emotions in his eyes, but Bad looks freed.

“He can’t hurt you anymore,” Bad whispers, “Neither you nor Ranboo.” He looks into Skeppy’s eyes and his expression softens. “I promise.”

Skeppy knows how they both feel about promises. Bad is serious. He means it.

And Skeppy trusts him with his life.

There is a lot they are not saying, there is a lot that  _ Bad _ isn’t saying, but Skeppy doesn’t ask. The very same way he never asked about Bad longing for a place he used to call home, Skeppy doesn’t ask about what happened while he was unconscious.

He realizes that he doesn’t need to know now. Time will come to talk about it. They have all the time in the world. 

There’s one thing that is missing though. One thing that he does want to know.

“Where is the kid?”

Bad gestures behind him and Skeppy cranes his neck to see.

At the center of the island, in the middle of all of the towers, lays the body of the Mother. She rests quietly, the way she has ever since Dream took her life. And Ranboo is by her side, head bowed down respectfully. They are surrounded by Endermen, who hum in unison a long song of mourning.

Skeppy’s heart tugs sadly and he wonders if Bad feels the same pain.

And then he notices the pink glow. He frowns and follows the source of the light all the way up to the top of a black tower.

Wait.

Bad’s hand squeezes his with all the gentleness in the world, and, when Skeppy looks back at him, there is hope in his best friend’s eyes.

“You did something,” Bad whispers, “Something I didn’t think was possible.”

Wait.

“The crystals,” Phil says in a calm voice, “They’re meant to heal the Ender dragon.”

Oh?

Oh.

They all watch as Ranboo walks toward the Mother – his mother – and chirps gently in her direction. She doesn’t shift, and he warbles a bit louder as he trots toward her head. When he finally reaches her, Skeppy is amazed by the sheer difference in size. Ranboo had been impressive, but the Mother is gigantic. She is a divinity, Skeppy thinks as he observes the scene.

Ranboo chirps a little more and he moves forward, pawing at her face playfully. She stays immobile, and a sad sound leaves the small dragon’s muzzle. His little trills cease, and he moves to gently nudge her with his head. He nuzzles insistently.

The Mother opens her eyes.

Skeppy and Bad’s hearts miss an identical beat as they observe the majestic creature slowly shifting up. She stands tall and Ranboo warbles excitedly, running around her legs while she lets out a low comforting rumble.

Skeppy is completely wordless as he watches the miracle that unfolds in front of them.

Bad is shaking lightly beside him, but Skeppy knows that his best friend isn’t distressed.

“Hey,” he says gently, “See? You didn’t fail, Bad.” He looks at the demon kindly and offers him a reassuring smile. “See?”

Bad looks like he could cry again.

Skeppy is quick to usher him into his arms and hold him safely, comfortingly. Bad trembles but the smile on his lips doesn’t fade, and Skeppy feels almost dizzy with how much he loves him and with the conviction that he would do anything in the world to have Bad look this relieved and happy for the rest of their lives.

“You did it,” he whispers, “She’s back, and the kid is safe.”

Bad nods shakily.

“He’s home.”

Something breaks in Skeppy at the words. Home. Ranboo is home. Ranboo is back with his mother. They are safe and happy, and Ranboo is home.

His stomach curls into knots again and Bad feels the way he tenses around him. Of course, he does. They cannot hide anything from each other.

“Geppy?” he calls softly, “What’s wrong?”

Skeppy shakes his head. “Nothing,” he says, even though he feels like he is going to start crying. “The kid’s home.” He swallows thickly but it does nothing to help the lump in his throat. “That’s great.”

Bad frowns and pulls away from the embrace to look at him.

“Skeppy,” he insists, bringing a hand up to Skeppy’s cheek and cupping it gently, “Talk to me.”

Skeppy really would rather avoid this conversation and he looks around the End silently. Techno is dutifully fixing Phil’s ruffled feathers and trying to loosen the winged man’s sore muscles while they chat quietly. The Endermen only have eyes for the Mother. And so does Ranboo. The kid has stopped running around her now, and he is quietly cuddling to her, nestling against her trustingly. It is a perfect picture of tenderness, and it hurts Skeppy to look at it.

And it hurts even more to think about  _ why _ it hurts.

He is possessive and jealous, he knows it. He always has been, especially toward Bad. But this is downright cruel on his part. The kid found his lost home and reunited with his mother, and Skeppy cannot make himself feel happy for him.

He just feels abandoned and terrified.

He loves Ranboo, he realizes. He loves Ranboo not only because Bad cares about him, but also because he has grown to know him and to genuinely care for the adolescent’s well-being. They’ve learned to trust each other, and Skeppy has learned to love him.

Ranboo is his and Bad’s kid, and Skeppy’s heart is ripped apart at the thought of having to leave the kid behind.

It’s cruel and selfish. Ranboo found his mother and, judging by the way he is purring contentedly, he will be very happy with her.

But Skeppy wants to cry.

“Skeppy?” Bad calls gently. He sounds worried now, and his eyes are full of concern as Skeppy looks back at him. “What’s wrong?”

Skeppy makes a mirthless smile. “I’m selfish,” he says, and he looks back at the Mother and the kid – Skeppy and Bad’s kid.

Bad follows his eyes. “Oh,” he whispers.

“Yeah, ‘oh’,” Skeppy responds, “I’m not proud of it. I’m just…” He grimaces and forces himself to blink rapidly to prevent any traitorous tear from falling. “I’ll miss him.”

Bad’s hand holds his a little tighter but they don’t look at each other. They both focus on the way Ranboo presents his stomach to the Mother, showing his incredible trust. She rumbles continuously and he answers her communication with small chirps.

Skeppy wants to cry.

“Skeppy…” Bad says in a gentle, appeasing tone, as if he knew that Skeppy is about to cry, “He’ll be happy with her. He’ll be safe.”

He shakes his head and lets out another joyless laugh. “I know-” he responds in a murmur. If he were to speak louder, he knows that his voice would crack, and he would start crying. “It’s just-”

“He’s home,” Bad insists in a soft, compassionate voice. Skeppy’s eyes flick toward him to note the concern and pity in his eyes. He shudders.

“Why can’t we be his home?”

It is not a question. It is a plea. And Bad must know it; he must hear it in Skeppy’s high-pitched tone.

They have built a life together, and they have become each other’s home. Bad was ripped away from the End, but Skeppy became his end.

He just wishes it could be the same for Ranboo.

He keeps watching the two dragons and he looks longingly as Ranboo seems to hold an important conversation with the Mother. She rumbles lowly and he nods his head, almost in a human-way, and responds with short warbles.

He just wants to bring the kid home with them.

A hand falls on his shoulder, warm and comforting.

“Sometimes, if you love them, you have to let them go,” Phil says in a kind tone.

Skeppy feels his lower lip tremble. “I don’t know if I know how to do that,” he admits in a whisper.

“Neither do I, mate,” Phil laughs bitterly, “But it is not a choice we have.”

Skeppy thinks of Phil, who raised Wilbur and Tommy, only to see both of them walk away. He thinks of the way Phil had ended up facing Tommy in battle, when he, Techno, and Dream had destroyed L’Manberg. He thinks of Wilbur begging his father to take his life.

Phil has known grief, and he has had to abandon his sons several times.

Skeppy stares at Ranboo who trills as he looks up to the Mother.

“Does it stop hurting?” he asks.

Phil laughs lowly. “Never,” he responds, “It is a constant gaping absence.”

Bad’s hand clenches around his and Skeppy seeks comfort in the presence of his best friend. They are together, he reminds himself, they will stay with each other. Forever. They’ve promised.

“I’m right here,” Bad whispers, as if he could read Skeppy’s mind. Maybe he can. They have spent so long together that they’ve learned to understand one another without words. “I’m with you forever, Skeppy.”

Skeppy nods. “I know.”

Techno clears his throat awkwardly. “Besides,” he says, “Now that Dream isn’t there to prevent us from using the portal, we can visit him.”

That is a comforting thought, and Skeppy turns to give Techno a grateful smile.

“Yeah,” he says, “There’s no reason for the portal to be unlit.”

Bad lets out a little ‘hrm.’ It’s not an angry one, but he is clearly not fully happy. He is thoughtful.

“I’ll need to… talk to Sap and George,” he says, “They weren’t the one who killed the Mother, but they…”

“They were there,” Skeppy finishes, and Bad nods silently.

“I’ll do it,” Techno proposes in a calm voice that does nothing to hide the threat, “I’ll talk to them. Phil and I can do it.”

Phil’s hand squeezes Skeppy’s shoulder before it lets go. “Yes,” he confirms, “We had to be in the neighborhood anyway. We can do it.”

“In the neighborhood?” Bad repeats, eyes squinting a little.

“Sapnap has the Axe of Peace,” Techno shrugs, “We were going to have to visit eventually. We’ll just kill two birds with one stone.”

Skeppy wonders if he should make a joke about the stone being the axe and the birds being Sapnap and George. He doesn’t.

“Sounds good,” he says instead, and he squeezes Bad’s hand a little.

And then, Ranboo turns toward them. Skeppy freezes completely as the red and green eyes stare in their direction. The Mother rumbles again, low and comforting, and Ranboo’s eyes light up happily. He chirps in response and trots toward them under the careful gaze of the Mother.

She will protect him against anything, Skeppy realizes. And she will make him happy. Ranboo is home, where he belongs, even if that breaks Skeppy’s heart. He is with his family.

He tries not to think about the fact that Ranboo called them his family when he saved him earlier.

It’s better not to think about it. It would just hurt more.

He bites the inside of his cheeks harshly and his hold is so tight around Bad’s hand that the demon lets out a small pained sound. Skeppy immediately lets go, as if it burned him, and Bad sends him a worried look. ‘Are you okay?’ the white eyes say.

Skeppy isn’t sure if he can answer.

He focuses all of his energy on calming himself down. He needs to be calm and happy and supportive of Ranboo’s choice.

Ranboo is not their kid.

He is ‘the kid,’ not ‘Skeppy and Bad’s kid’.

He belongs in the End, not in the mansion.

It hurts, but Skeppy has to accept it.

He doesn’t want their goodbyes to be ruined by his selfishness. Ranboo deserves much better than that.

He looks up, and the kid is standing in front of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DREAM IS GONE CRAB RAVE
> 
> I'm really really excited to see what y'all thought!! Things are finally unfolding positively. They are all safe, and the Mother is back :)) We get to be Sad, but Sad is better than Scared :))  
> Really emotional about this chapter! It's one of my favourites in the fic :)) Hope y'all enjoyed it!!
> 
> Super excited to see y'all tomorrow for the conclusion (spoilers, I will be very very very emotional in my notes because this fic is so close to my heart lol)
> 
> \-------
> 
> On a side note, I am also very excited as I get closer to sharing "Diamond in the Rough" with y'all! It is part of my and Silver's vampire AU and a sequel to "Ruby in the Moonlight." A lot of the themes evoked in PoE are also present and discussed in Diamond, so I'm hopeful that y'all will like it too!!   
> I've already started working on what was MEANT to be a One Shot sequel to Diamond and is now just under 15k. Goodness.
> 
> \----
> 
> Thanks for reading!!!


	22. A Boy At Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yeah,” Ranboo says, “But you guys are-…” He looks a little embarrassed and looks away and back to the Mother. She lets out a low rumble and blinks her purple eyes toward him. The kid takes a deep breath. “You heard what I said when you were falling, didn’t you?”  
> ‘Not My Family.’  
> Skeppy feels like he could cry.  
> “Yeah,” he croaks, “I heard.”  
> “We all heard, mate,” Phil says gently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, guys :))
> 
> Not going to lie, I am incredibly emotional at the idea of finishing this fic. I'm so grateful for all the enthusiasm it has received. Thank you so much to everyone who commented!!
> 
> I will let you all go back to our boy and his four Dads and I shall meet you all in the endnotes :))
> 
> Enjoy!!

The kid is in front of them.

The kid. Not the dragon.

Skeppy isn’t certain how it happened, especially when he hasn’t taken his eyes off the kid, but Ranboo somehow changed his appearance. It is no longer the young black dragon staring at him, but rather the adolescent he has grown to love. It is the kid, with his black and white face and his freckles and his unsure smile. And the same red and green eyes.

He wants to scream. This is going to make saying goodbye even harder, and he both hates and loves Ranboo for doing this.

Bad’s hand finds his, and the demon squeezes gently. Skeppy isn’t too certain if this is for his own benefit, or if Bad also needs the comfort. Maybe both. Probably both.

“So,” Ranboo begins, and he makes a small laugh – that tiny low chuckle that Skeppy has grown so fond of. “So that’s it, I guess…”

Bad hums in agreement and Skeppy so desperately wishes that someone would say something. He doesn’t want to be the one to beg Ranboo not to stay.

“Yeah,” he says with a strained smile, “It sure is, kid.”

Ranboo looks down to the end stone and hums a little. Skeppy suddenly realizes why it always felt so familiar. The habit is Bad’s and the sound is close to an Enderman humming. It makes sense, he guesses.

“The towers aren’t too bad,” Techno comments, voice gruff. Skeppy knows he is probably as emotional as they all are, but he would die rather than express it. “Solid. Protect from the rain.”

Ranboo blinks.

“It doesn’t rain in the End, mate,” Phil explains gently, and Techno lets out a small grunting sound.

“Right,” he mumbles, “Well, that still holds. Not a bad place once you get used to the…” He gestures around vaguely and doesn’t finish his sentence.

Ranboo makes a small smile. “Yeah, I grew up here,” he says, “I don’t really remember it, but it feels… familiar.”

“You are the prince,” Bad says, reverence and tenderness clear in his voice, “This place is yours, whether you remember it or not.”

Skeppy bites his tongue not to add that it is the case for the mansion too. The mansion would be Ranboo’s home if he wanted it to be. Skeppy would redecorate the guest room in a heartbeat if it meant that the kid would stay.

“Right,” Ranboo says, and he chuckles again. He brings a hand up and rubs the back of his neck in a nervous gesture. Does he feel as bad as Skeppy does? Does he know that his decision to stay will break their hearts? “So I was thinking…”

Skeppy shuts his eyes closed. It won’t stop the situation from happening but at least he can focus on the way Bad’s thumb rubs the back of his hand in a soothing manner.

“Yes?” Bad asks very gently.

Bad has always been too kind. Even when they are about to be abandoned, he sounds nice and accepting. Skeppy hates it. Skeppy loves him.

“I was hoping to hang out with Tubbo for a few days,” Ranboo continues, a little uncertain.

What.

“Yeah?” Phil asks, and his voice croaks a little. Skeppy feels like he has forgotten how to breathe.

“Yeah,” Ranboo nods. He looks toward Bad and Skeppy. “I know you guys wanted to be able to keep an eye on me, but Dream’s gone, so I…” He trails off, eyes darting to Techno. “And I know you don’t exactly love governments, but Snowchester is-”

What.

“You want to visit Tubbo?” Bad repeats carefully.

Ranboo nods. “I just- It’s been a while, and he is my friend,” he says. Skeppy remembers the book.  _ Phil, Techno, Tubbo, Bad, Skeppy.  _ “And since Dream isn’t here anymore, I thought that-”

“Wait,” Skeppy interrupts, “You want to go to Snowchester?”

Ranboo winces as if he were expecting them to simply refuse. “Just for a day or two,” he says quickly, “And then I can come back to the mansion…” – his eyes dart to Phil and Techno – “… or the cabin, or whatever you guys prefer…”

What.

“You want to…” Skeppy licks his lips, “You want to come back to the Overworld?”

He is almost scared of asking the question. He is afraid of the answer. But not  _ as afraid _ anymore.

“Well, yeah,” Ranboo replies, as if it were obvious, as if it were that simple. “But I mean- If you guys would rather I don’t live with you, I can-”

“No!” Skeppy interrupts immediately, “No. You can. Live with us, that is. We will- The guest bedroom- We can- It’s yours now. And we-” Bad’s hand squeezes his reassuringly.

“Ranboo,” he says softly, rescuing Skeppy from his nervous stuttering, “You’re welcome to live with us for as long as you want.” He smiles and nods toward Techno and Phil. “Or with them. We won’t be hurt, whichever you choose.”

Skeppy lets out a small shuddering exhale and nods emphatically.

“Yeah, mate,” Phil says, and Techno grunts in agreement. “And you can take however long to choose. Or you can just do both.”

Techno chuckles. “Phil, we’re not getting joint custody of the kid,” he mumbles with an affectionate tone. Ranboo flushes and Phil laughs.

“You’d be happy to have him visit, and you know it, Technoblade,” he responds, unimpressed.

Skeppy hesitates before he speaks. He doesn’t want to ruin the atmosphere, but he has to know: “What about the End? What about the Mother?”

Ranboo blinks. “I- I spoke with her,” he says, “She’s back. She’s healthy now. She can rule over the End.”

“But you’re… She’s your mom,” Skeppy tries, “Don’t you want to…” He bites his tongue and searches for the right words. They don’t come. “She’s your mom,” he repeats lamely. Bad squeezes his hand gently.

“Yeah,” Ranboo says, “But you guys are-…” He looks a little embarrassed and looks away and back to the Mother. She lets out a low rumble and blinks her purple eyes toward him. The kid takes a deep breath. “You heard what I said when you were falling, didn’t you?”

_ ‘Not My Family.’ _

Skeppy feels like he could cry.

“Yeah,” he croaks, “I heard.”

“We all heard, mate,” Phil says gently. His voice holds so much emotion that Skeppy’s head snaps to look at him. Phil looks like he is about to cry, exactly the way Skeppy feels, but he smiles so wide. “We can be your family.”

It feels cheesy to say, but it was apparently necessary. Ranboo’s uncertain expression shifts into one of pure relief. A smile spreads on his lips and his red and green eyes start glinting. Skeppy thinks that Ranboo’s smile might be one of his favorite things in the world, along with Bad’s little giggles.

“Really?” the kid asks.

“Really,” Techno rumbles in answer, “Don’t get all emotional or anything. Phil doesn’t have exactly a great record with kids, I have an orphan-murdering reputation, and Skeppy…” He shrugs and chuckles, “No one in their right mind would trust Skeppy with a kid.”

“Hey!” Skeppy protests, “I’d be an amazing parental figure!”

“Skeppy, the only reason you’re alive is because Bad remembers to feed you and doesn’t let you jump off sky islands ‘for the laughs’,” Techno deadpans. Skeppy pouts but doesn’t protest.

“He’s got a point,” Phil says, “Bad is probably the most responsible one, and he is a fucking End demon.”

“Language,” Bad grumbles, but he doesn’t comment further. His eyes are fixated on Ranboo, waiting for the kid’s response. Ranboo makes a shy smile.

“I think- I think I’d really like that,” he says, “Being family, I mean.”

Skeppy is crying.

He curses and hides his face in Bad’s shoulder, ignoring Techno’s mocking laughter and Bad’s fond coos. Bad rubs his back soothingly and Skeppy lets out a wet laugh.

Ranboo wants to stay with them.

Ranboo wants the Overworld to be his home.

Ranboo wants  _ them _ to be his home.

“Kid,” he chokes up, and he looks back to Ranboo, giving him a teary smile, “We’ll make the guest room into the best goddamn bedroom you’ve ever seen. I’ll- Maybe you could even have your own floor. Bad, can we add a floor to the house? I feel like it could work but-” Bad giggles and presses their foreheads together.

“Skeppy,” he whispers, “Breathe. We’ll figure it out when we’re home.”

Home.

It’s funny how the very same word that threatened to make him cry earlier is now so soothing and promising.

“Yeah, speaking of that,” Techno drawls, “Can we go home now?” He smirks playfully at Ranboo. “I don’t mean to be rude or anything, your highness, but I do prefer my own world to this place.” Bad and Ranboo laugh, and that’s the most amazing sound in the world in Skeppy’s ears.

“Aw mate,” Phil argues with a smile, “The End is an amazing dimension. You just have to give it a chance.”

Techno gives him a look. “Yeah, I’m not staying several years here to find out. Not everyone is as determined as you, old man.”

Phil shrugs easily. “Wait until you see the End cities,” he says. He turns and gives Ranboo a smile. “We can visit them together later.”

Ranboo nods. “I’d like that,” he replies.

“Now,” Techno insists, “Now that this is all agreed, can we go home? Phil needs potions too.” Phil grumbles a little but lets the Piglin walk him to the portal.

Skeppy notices the way Bad stares at the Mother with hesitation, and he gives Phil and Techno a smile. “We’ll be right behind you,” he promises. Techno gives him a nod and they disappear in the portal.

When Skeppy turns back, Bad has moved to be closer to the Mother. He kneels, and stares at her reverently while she rumbles. The demon responds in Endspeak and Skeppy just watches him fondly for a minute. Ranboo shifts beside him, and Skeppy centers his attention back on him.

“So,” he starts, “Did she say anything about you going back to the Overworld?”

Ranboo shrugs. “She’s okay with it,” he says, “She said that she will miss me, but she can… watch over me, or something.” He gives another shrug, followed by a chuckle. “I’m not too sure what it means or how it works, but I’m not going to question it.”

Skeppy nods. “Makes sense,” he laughs, “Sometimes Bad talks about magic stuff and I just have to nod, you know?”

The kid hums. “Yeah. She also…” He hesitates. “She said that she trusts you with me.” He looks into Skeppy’s eyes. “You and Bad.”

Oh Gods, is he going to cry again?

“Yeah?” Skeppy asks, voice a little higher.

“Yeah.”

Skeppy hesitates before he opens his arms, and Ranboo lets himself fall into them. Skeppy holds him there. It feels so incredibly right. Ranboo  _ fits,  _ the very same way that Bad does. Skeppy hadn’t realized how much he had wanted to hug the kid again. Bad and Skeppy’s kid.

He exhales deeply, and a profound relief washes over him. The kid is staying with them.

“Hey,” he mumbles after a while, and Ranboo nods to show that he is listening, “I didn’t thank you for saving me, did I?”

Ranboo shrugs. “Bad couldn’t get to you,” he murmurs, “And Dream wasn’t paying attention to me, and I didn’t want you to-” He trails off, not wanting to pronounce the words. Skeppy smiles in an appeasing manner and he gently squeezes the kid.

“I know,” he whispers. “Still. I’m grateful. Maybe we’ll have Bad bake some celebratory muffins or something.”

Ranboo chuckles. “That sounds good.”

“What sounds good?”

Bad’s walking back toward them, his head tilted and his eyes full of curiosity. Ranboo pulls away from Skeppy’s embrace and gives the demon a smile.

“Muffins,” Skeppy says, and Bad claps his hands together excitedly.

“Oh my goodness! That does sound good! That sounds great!”

Skeppy chuckles fondly at his best friend’s excitement, and he thinks that he would do anything to keep Bad this happy. Including fighting Gods or adopting princes.

“Yeah,” he says, “We can do that together when Ranboo comes back from his sleepover at Tubbo’s.” The kid flushes a little at the term ‘sleepover’ but he doesn’t protest.

Bad lets out one of his happy ‘hrm’s.

“That sounds like an excellent plan.”

“What can I say,” Skeppy replies, “You’ve heard Techno. I am  _ smart _ . I am  _ amazing _ at planning, and I beat Dream at his own game.”

“Oh Gods,” Ranboo chuckles, “That’s going to get straight to his head, isn’t it?” Bad giggles.

“Don’t both turn against me!” Skeppy protests, but he grins brightly. They smile back at him. “Are you two ready?”

Ranboo nods immediately and Bad takes another look around the End before imitating him. “Yeah,” the demon says, “Let’s go back.”

They walk towards the portal, and Skeppy takes a second to observe it and think.

The first time Bad passed through the portal, he was forcefully dragged away from the world he has sworn to protect. When Ranboo had, he had stood all alone and stepped into the portal, on his own, to run away from a world that could no longer provide for him.

They're standing together now, with Skeppy holding both of their hands. Bad's hand is the same as always; his firm hold contains promises of companionship. Ranboo's hand is thinner and the hold is a bit weaker, a bit more hesitant, but it fits right against Skeppy's palm.

Techno and Phil have gone through already and they are waiting for them on the other side. The three of them will leave together, and they will be welcomed back into their world.

Skeppy looks around the island, and he gazes upon the towers. He silently observes the world that Bad and Ranboo used to call home. He used to resent the idea of the End, but he doesn't anymore. He just knows that the End will not be their end.

The Mother catches his eyes and blinks slowly at him. He blinks back and suddenly feels like everything is going to be okay. They have her blessing, after all.

“Skeppy?” Bad nudges him gently, “Are you ready?”

“Yeah,” Skeppy says, and he focuses back on the hands he is holding. He loves Bad and Ranboo so incredibly much, he thinks. He feels almost suffocated by it, and by the prospect of staying with them. He feels happy. “Yeah, let's go.”

The situation is oddly reminiscent of the first time Skeppy found Ranboo, when he was just an unknown adolescent, unconscious in a black bunker. He had been fascinating from the beginning, even though, at the time, Skeppy hadn’t known how right he was to compare him to Bad. And, because he was like Bad, Skeppy hadn’t hesitated to take him home.

It feels similar. This time though, Ranboo is awake, and Bad is with them. It feels better.

The best part, though, is that, this time, there is a certitude. They are going home, and Ranboo is there to stay.

They move forward, all at once – all together – and they go through the portal.

They leave the End behind.

They go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaaaahhhh, I'm so emotional ;_;
> 
> Again, I want to thank everyone for all of the enthusiasm with this fic. Your support meant the absolute world. I really hope you enjoyed the ending :)) They are all together, and they are a family <3333
> 
> Though this fic ends here, I have a few ideas for a few potential one-offs stories. No promises, but I think I'd be happy to explore the "After" :))
> 
> I also hope to see some of you guys with "Diamond in the Rough" :)) Silver and I have worked very hard on the plot and I'm so incredibly excited to share it with y'all. Like I said last time, it focuses on Bad and Skeppy in a Vampire AU, and deals with a lot of themes and dynamics similar to that of PoE. For all of you all, here is the summary of the fic :))
> 
> \----
> 
> “Dream is free.”  
> Dream? Skeppy scrunches his nose. The rogue vampire that had tried to hurt some of Skeppy’s favorite Undead? The one who apparently Sired Techno and left him for dead that very same night?  
> He had been certain that the vampire had been dealt with, and that Bad would be free to focus on Skeppy again.  
> “Should we be worried?”  
> Bad’s hold tightens on him protectively, and the demon shifts a little. One of his hands reaches up and gently presses against the diamond on Skeppy’s chest. The one that links them together.   
> “No,” the demon whispers, “I’m not too concerned about it. Sam’s Huntsmen will take care of it.” Bad takes in a long breath and Skeppy relaxes in his hold. “Besides, I won’t let anything happen to you.”  
> Skeppy trusts him.
> 
> \---
> 
> Be on the lookout for an update of "Ruby in the Moonlight" with a short preview of chapter 1 tonight :)) I'm so excited to share this story with you all!! 
> 
> I shall leave you now to reflect on the ending of Prince of End. Again, thank you all so much for your support <33 I shall see you in the comments!!


End file.
